A coalition of youths in their hundreds, who dressed in black and white attire and carried placards, yesterday barricaded major roads linking Jos, the Plateau State capital, during a protest over the incessant night attacks and the continued killings in Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Wase local government areas of the state.
They further threatened to report the federal government and the Nigeria military before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity for the killing unarmed civilians if both the federal government and the military do not take action.
Leader of the youths, Dr Daniel Meshak, while speaking to journalists yesterday after the blocking of the Old Airport Road, condemned the killing of innocent citizens across the state and called on all authorities concerned to appropriately tackle the matter to its very root.
“The military should make known the outcome of their two weeks’ operation in parts of Barkin Ladi and Riyom where the killings continue till this moment.”
The youth leader lamented that Plateau State had become known for incessant night attacks by daring marauding attackers who are either identified as unknown gunmen or Fulani herdsmen.
“What is more worrying is the fact that these attacks were carried out when the military formation by the Special Task Force (STF) is in full operation in Plateau,” he said.
“Instead of facing the attackers as their training and mandate require, the personal of the STF have become so rampant that the life of a Plateau man could be equated with that of a mosquito and none of the culprits of this madness has ever been prosecuted.”