20/07/2026
BYM Demands Arrest of Injured Suspected Attackers, Calls for Probe of Gafdan Media Team Over Alleged Misinformation
Jos, Plateau State — The Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM) has called on security agencies to track down and arrest five suspected attackers who reportedly escaped with injuries following a violent attack on Jol community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. The association also urged authorities to investigate the operators of the page Gafdan Media Team over what it described as the deliberate spread of false information.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, BYM rejected claims circulating on social media that three herders were ambushed and killed by Berom residents around the Jol axis of Riyom LGA, describing the reports as false and misleading.
According to the association, the incident occurred on Sunday, 19 July 2026, when armed men allegedly invaded Jol community, killing 48-year-old Thomas Damang and leaving three others—identified as Ishaku Pam, 22, Ezra Yakubu, 28, and Shedrack Danladi, 34—with gunshot injuries.
BYM said local vigilantes, working alongside security personnel, repelled the attack. The group claimed that three of the suspected attackers were killed during the confrontation, while five others sustained injuries and escaped from the scene.
The association maintained that those killed were members of the attacking group and not innocent herders, as alleged in the social media report.
BYM called on the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies to identify, apprehend, investigate, and prosecute the five injured suspects, arguing that their reported injuries could assist security agencies in tracking them down.
The association also urged the authorities to investigate and prosecute the operators of the Gafdan Media Team page, alleging that the platform has repeatedly published narratives that misrepresent violent incidents in Plateau State and undermine efforts to achieve justice for victims.
BYM further appealed to the Federal Government, the National Human Rights Commission, civil society organisations, the international community, and the media to closely monitor what it described as coordinated disinformation surrounding the security situation in Plateau State.
The association said lasting peace in the state would require holding accountable both those responsible for violent attacks and anyone found to be deliberately spreading false information that shields criminal activities.
At the time of filing this report, the claims made by BYM had not been independently verified, and security agencies had not publicly responded to the allegations.
