Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has described the ongoing violence in Plateau State as “genocide,” accusing authorities of permitting organized criminal elements to seize control of indigenous communities in what he termed an ethnic cleansing campaign. Speaking in an interview on News Central, Dalung traced the conflict’s origins from political disagreements to ethnic and religious tensions that have devolved into organized criminality.
Dalung expressed grave concern, stating that the situation has escalated into a deliberate effort to eliminate and displace indigenous communities. “It started from the realm of politics to ethnicity and religion; from religion, it went into organized criminality. Where we are now is a genocidal elimination of ethnic communities and land grabbing,” he said.
He reported that over 64 communities have been forcefully taken over, referencing information from Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, which includes claims of substantial community losses to organized criminal groups. Dalung’s remarks come amid rising reports of killings, arson, kidnappings, and the forced displacement of rural populations in Plateau State.
He lamented that the silence and inaction of the Nigerian government and security agencies are enabling the attackers. Community leaders have warned that the scale and precision of recent assaults indicate a coordinated effort to alter the region’s demographic landscape, amidst decades of cyclical violence in Plateau State.
