‘The soldiers are killing us!’ – Plateau Pastor
By TruthNigeria Staff
(JOS) BREAKING: As Nigerians marked Democracy Day on June 12 with protests against hardships and terror threats, Christian and women leaders in Plateau State confronted police near Jos, alleging military complicity in recent village massacres. Their demands were simple: the withdrawal of soldiers from their streets. This followed a night raid on two villages that killed at least 18 persons under the watchful eyes of the military.
The night raid, a twin attack 52 miles south of the Plateau State capital, followed a pattern of violence in the region that has killed more than 30 people since Sunday, June 8, TruthNigeria has learned.
Among the dead are two victims of the military itself, according to town leaders and lawmakers speaking to TruthNigeria. The army authorities in Jos have denied any wrongdoing by their men.
At midday Lagos time on June 12, President Tinubu addressed a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives. The event was part of activities marking the 2025 Democracy Day celebration. However, nationwide youth protests against “hardship and insecurity” overshadowed the official celebrations.
In Jos, the capital of Plateau State, protestors clad in orange and black gathered outside the state’s legislative building. From as early as 7 a.m. local time, they sang solidarity songs and displayed signs with messages like “A mourning democracy day,” “We need peace not bloodshed,” and “Stop condemning, start acting.”
“The soldiers are killing us!”
The Jos demonstration came hours after four residents were killed just 15 miles away on June 11. The evening assault occurred in the Kwall district of Bassa County, a short walk from a 2,000-man army base, raising questions about the military’s role in ongoing attacks in the State.
At the time, Rev. Jacob Dashop was in his house 55 miles away in Mangu, still reeling from burying 18 members of his congregation killed in a similar attack the previous night [June 10]. It was the latest in a series of armed assaults in the Mangu County, which have claimed more than 27 local Christians in the past two weeks, according to State Assemblyman Kwarpo Matthew, who spoke to TruthNigeria. Two of the victims were allegedly shot by soldiers while attending the funeral of another community member killed on Pentecost Sunday [June 8].
“I am in deep pain,” said Rev. Dashop who confronted police and county officials on the afternoon of June 11. Dashop, accompanied by local women and community leaders, directly accused soldiers of collaborating with terrorists to attack communities.
“The soldiers are killing us!” shouted Rev. Dashop, who leads the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Mangu. “They are colluding with Fulani terrorists to kill us,” Dashop said.
About Fulani
The Fulani, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group, number more than 20 million across West Africa, with 10 million in Nigeria. Fulani politicians have recently emerged as Nigeria’s most politically influential ethnic group. While many Fulani are involved in peaceful activities such as trade, education, and traditional cattle herding, a militant faction is credited with six times more Christian deaths than Boko Haram. In Plateau State, widely considered the Christian heartland of northern Nigeria, TruthNigeria has documented more than 250 fatalities from suspected Fulani militant attacks this year alone.
Terrorists ferried away on trucks
In a recent incident on June 10, Fulani terrorists killed 18 people in an evening assault on two villages on the edge of the Mangu County seat, TruthNigeria learned. Witnesses described a sniper-precision gun attack in Chichim and Danboka villages, located just two to three miles from a battalion-sized army base.
Mr. Kyelle Obed, leader of a seven-man civilian guard unit in Chichim, told TruthNigeria his team was overwhelmed by an invading force of five to ten men. “Their command, their tactics, and accuracy showed expert coordination,” said Obed. “They spoke Fulani and a so-so English and fired from the kneeling position.”
Obed recalled eight people were killed in the attack, which began minutes after 8 a.m. and lasted several minutes without intervention from the army base just 1.5 miles away. Around the same time, ten people were killed 3 miles away in Danboka village according to Assemblyman Matthew who represents Mangu at the Plateau State Legislature.
As the shooting in Chichim subsided around 9 a.m. locally, Mrs. Plangnan Peter, a local women leader witnessed from the corner of her house, a convoy of three pickup trucks and an armored gun truck pull over in the direction of the retreating terrorists.
“The Fulani hopped into the trucks and were ferried away,” Mrs. Peter told police and county officials who visited the western suburb on June 11. “I am not afraid to die,” Peter said. “We saw them with our eyes. It is possible you called soldiers to intervene, but what we saw were fake soldiers,” she said.
Calls for Removal of Soldiers
Mrs. Peter demanded the withdrawal of soldiers from the area. “We don’t need soldiers!” Peter shouted to the cheers of women and youths present.
Rev. Dashop concurred, stating, “If the military will not protect us, please get them out of our communities.” He recounted an early morning incident two days prior [June 9] in a nearby village where soldiers allegedly opened fire on residents attending the funeral of a terror victim.
“Most of the casualties in the hospital right now were injured by soldiers,” he said.
An eyewitness of the alleged extrajudicial killing in the village of Gyambwas told TruthNigeria on background that he personally telephoned soldiers of Operation Safe Haven, a joint military task force and requested help when terrorists began shooting during the early morning funeral of a victim from the previous night’s attack.
Instead of repelling the attackers, armed men in military fatigues fired on fleeing residents, while terrorists trailed behind, burning houses, he said.
Assemblyman Matthew confirmed that two people were killed during the initial shooting at the burial site, while seven others were killed hours later, after the terrorists regrouped and struck a second time in the evening.
The Honourable Matthew, who represents Mangu at the Plateau State Legislative House, is standing with his constituents on the demands for the withdrawal of soldiers from the area.
“The military should withdraw their bases from the towns and mount them in the bushes where the terrorists are,” he said.
“That will be better than remaining in the town while the terrorists come from the bush, attack us and retreat back to the bush,” Matthew said.
“They come, pass through the checkpoints and nothing happens to them,” Matthew said in frustration.
“Most at times, they only come after the harm is done. And when they come, they harass our youths who are out to protect their communities,” he said.
Colonel O.S. Fagbemi, the Commander of Operations Safe Haven in Mangu would not comment on the issue for lack of knowledge. “I have been out of town and have not received any such information,” Fagbemi said by telephone, referring TruthNigeria to the army headquarters in Jos.
TruthNigeria’s phone calls and text messages to Major Nantip Zhakom, the spokesman of the army in Jos were not answered.
However, Mr. Emmanuel Olugbemiga Adesina, the Plateau State Commissioner of Police assured the protesting community members of launching investigations into the issue.
Chairman of the Mangu County, Mr. Emmanuel Bala, also assured his office will work with the police to investigate the claims.
