From Yakubu Wuyep, Jos
President of the Berom Education and Cultural Organisation (BECO), Da Gyang Dudu Dalyop, has condemned the killing of two women by unidentified security operatives in Nyango Community, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, describing the incident as an excessive use of force.
Dalyop, who spoke in a video interview with activist and social media commentator, Masara Kim Usman, called for an independent investigation into the incident and urged the government to ensure justice for the victims and support those injured.
According to him, the operatives were on an assignment in the community, but residents became suspicious because they had not been informed of the deployment, a situation he said resulted in a confrontation.
“The people got suspicious of them and instead of explanation they wanted to use force to get into their direction.
The people said they are not aware of any information that is coming into that environment because they have been living with constant and instant attacks. They have buried people and have been going through deep crisis,” he said.
He said the community has lived under the threat of repeated attacks for more than two decades, making residents highly sensitive to unfamiliar movements, and argued that proper engagement with community leaders could have prevented the incident.
“There was no effective communication with the community. There was no proper explanation as to who are coming and what are they coming for. If they were consulted, they would give the operators a better place to work,” he stated.
The BECO President alleged that the women only sought to know what was happening before the operatives allegedly opened fire on them after firing warning shots.
“I don’t see any reason why somebody will use maximum force on women who are not carrying weapons, who are not carrying anything. We felt that there was a miscarriage or overuse of power and we want to investigate this,” Dalyop stated.
Dalyop also questioned the coordination among security agencies, asking why relevant security formations were not involved in the operation and calling for improved synergy to prevent similar incidents.
He disclosed that two women lost their lives, while another victim was receiving treatment in hospital, urging the government to take responsibility for the injured, investigate the killings, and ensure the deceased are given befitting burials.
He further appealed to security agencies to always engage community leaders before embarking on operations in conflict-prone areas, stressing that effective communication and collaboration remain essential to restoring public confidence and preventing avoidable tragedies.