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A coalition of indigenous youth organisations in Plateau State has called on the Federal Government to sustain joint security operations in the state, rejecting allegations of bias against the Department of State Services (DSS), Mobile Police Force and Operation Rainbow.
The coalition also demanded a thorough investigation into allegations against security personnel, insisting that lawful security operations should not be discontinued without compelling justification.
The position was contained in a press conference statement delivered by the Coalition of Indigenous Youth Nationalities in Plateau State at the National Secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abuja, on Wednesday.
The coalition was reacting to a petition dated October 5, 2026, reportedly signed by Mudahid Abdullahi, Esq., on behalf of the Plateau chapters of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN), Fulbe Youth Development Association (FUYODA) and other groups.
According to the coalition, the petition raised concerns over alleged discriminatory security operations against Fulani communities and accused the DSS of responsibility for killings and abductions, cattle rustling, poisoning and shooting of cows.
The youth organisations also referred to a video circulating on social media that allegedly questioned the conduct of the DSS, Mobile Police and Operation Rainbow while portraying the Nigerian Army as the only security institution acting in the interest of peace on the Plateau.
However, the coalition argued that the petition and video risked presenting a distorted account of the security situation and undermining cooperation among security agencies.
It alleged that the campaign was intended to discredit the agencies, pressure the Plateau State DSS Director, Paul Damian, and weaken joint operations against armed groups operating in the state.
The coalition said the operations had contributed to the arrest of alleged criminal leaders, reduced attacks on communities and improved efforts to protect lives and property.
It specifically cited the arrest of a man it identified as Ardo Mahmoud Adams, whom it described as a suspected leader of armed Fulani groups.
The allegation and the circumstances of the reported arrest could not be independently verified.
The coalition further alleged that armed groups had attacked security personnel and local vigilantes during operations in several communities.
It cited an alleged attack on a DSS base at Nding Sesut, Fan District, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, on June 1, 2026, as well as an attack on Tanjol and Tarai villages in Jol community on August 23, 2026, during which it claimed two DSS officers were killed and their weapons taken.
The statement also referred to reported killings of Mobile Police personnel in Dares and Kwi communities in Bokkos and Riyom local government areas, respectively, and the killing of Operation Rainbow Operations Officer, DSP David Babale, in an ambush near a military checkpoint around Rakok village, on the outskirts of Barkin Ladi.
The coalition said these incidents underscored the risks faced by security personnel deployed to protect vulnerable communities. The details of the incidents and the identities of those responsible were not independently established in the statement.
It also called for an investigation into allegations of misconduct and possible collusion involving some security personnel, arguing that all agencies operating in Plateau should be subject to scrutiny and accountability.
The coalition further alleged that some individuals were mobilising funds to finance media campaigns and legal actions aimed at frustrating ongoing security operations. It did not provide independently verifiable evidence to substantiate the allegation.
According to the group, joint security operations had helped improve intelligence sharing and coordination between security agencies and local security volunteers.
It therefore urged President Bola Tinubu and other federal authorities not to discontinue the operations solely on the basis of petitions or social media campaigns, but to assess the allegations through a transparent and evidence-based process.
The coalition maintained that its position was not a call for security agencies to operate without scrutiny, but for lawful operations to continue alongside accountability for any personnel found to have violated the law.
In its conclusion, the group said the protection of all communities, regardless of ethnicity or religious affiliation, should remain the priority of security operations in Plateau State.
It called on the Federal Government and relevant authorities to ensure that security operations were neither arbitrarily weakened nor discontinued without compelling justification.
The statement was jointly signed by Amb. Ezekiel Peter Bini, President of the Irigwe Youths Movement and Chairman of the Coalition of Indigenous Youth Nationalities in Plateau State; Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, Esq., President of the Berom Youths Moulder-Association and Northern Zone Coordinator; Amb. Miri Timnan Nyantau, President of the Tarok Progressive Youths Association and Southern Zone Coordinator; and Jonathan Kyesmang Yusuf, identified in the statement as a Mwagavwul youth leader and Central Zone Coordinator.
The coalition reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Plateau communities and supporting lawful efforts to tackle insecurity, declaring: “Protect the people, confront criminality.”
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