A coalition of indigenous youth organizations in Plateau State has defended the Department of State Services (DSS), the Mobile Police Force, and Operation Rainbow against allegations of bias, urging the Federal Government to sustain joint security operations in the state and investigate suspected security compromises.
Addressing a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, the coalition accused groups representing Fulani interests of mounting petition and media campaigns to discredit security agencies following recent crackdowns on armed militants.
The spokesperson for the coalition and President of the Berom Youths Moulder-Association, Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, warned that such allegations risk undermining ongoing efforts to restore peace to conflict-ravaged communities.
The coalition’s stance follows an October 5 petition signed by Mujahid Abdullahi on behalf of the Plateau chapters of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN), and the Fulbe Youth Development Association (FUYODA).
The petitioners accused the DSS and its Plateau State Director, Paul Damian, of discriminatory operations, extrajudicial killings, abductions, and the destruction or rustling of cattle. Similar claims were broadcast in a viral social media video, which portrayed the Nigerian Army as the sole security agency working neutrally in the state.
Dismissing the claims as a “ploy of distraction,” Mwantiri argued that the campaign was designed to intimidate DSS leadership, disrupt joint operations involving local security volunteers, and create friction between the Army and other security components.
Addressing the cattle rustling claims, the youth leaders clarified that livestock intercepted on farmlands were merely impounded by authorities pending the identification of their owners and suspected perpetrators of agricultural destruction.
To support their position, the coalition cited several recent violent attacks against security personnel in the state:
June 1, 2026: An attack on a newly established DSS base at Nding Sesut, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA).
August 23, 2026: An assault on Tanjol and Tarai villages by over 400 armed men, resulting in the deaths of two DSS officers whose weapons were stolen.
Recent Weeks: The killing of Mobile Police personnel during attacks on Dares and Kwi villages in Bokkos and Riyom LGAs, as well as the ambush and murder of Operation Rainbow’s Operations Officer, DSP David Babale, near Barkin Ladi.
The coalition asserted that joint operations had exposed patterns where armed militants attacked and occupied local communities while grazing cattle on displaced farmlands. They claimed that at least 152 hamlets across the state have been displaced, though formal documentation was not provided at the briefing.
Calls for Federal Investigation
The coalition further alleged that sponsors of armed groups were raising ₦20 million to fund legal challenges and media campaigns aimed at derailing the ongoing security response.
They appealed to President Bola Tinubu and federal security chiefs to resist calls for the withdrawal of the DSS, Mobile Police, or Operation Rainbow from Plateau State, warning that a drawdown would embolden criminal elements.
Instead, they urged the Federal Government to investigate the alleged funding sources, probe suspected security leaks, and address any claims of unprofessional conduct or collusion within the security architecture.
”We urge the authorities to foster synergy among security agencies rather than allowing public disputes to compromise intelligence sharing,” the statement read.
The joint statement was signed by Amb. Ezekiel Peter Bini (Irigwe Youths Movement), Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri (Berom Youths Moulder-Association), Amb. Miri Timnan Nyantau (Tarok Progressive Youths Association), and Jonathan Kyesmang Yusuf (Mwaghavul Youth Movement), representing a broader alliance of ethnic youth groups across Plateau State.