Plateau Indigenous Youths Accuse Fulani Groups of Orchestrating ‘Calumny’ to Halt Security Operations

A coalition of Plateau indigenous youth organisations has defended the Department of State Services (DSS), the Mobile Police Force and Operation Rainbow, saying recent petitions and viral videos accusing security operatives of bias and criminality are deliberate attempts to derail anti-insurgency efforts.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, President of the Berom Youths Moulder-Association and Coordinator of Indigenous Youth Nationalities, Northern Zone, Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, Esq., accused Fulani groups of attempting to undermine joint security operations through petitions and social media campaigns.

He called on the Federal Government to protect the DSS, Mobile Police Force and Operation Rainbow from what the coalition described as political and criminal pressure.

The youth bodies said the campaigns were a distraction that could benefit militants and called on the Federal Government to sustain ongoing security operations while investigating any allegations of wrongdoing.

The coalition, comprising Afizere, Anaguta, Atakar, Atten, Bache, Berom, Gamai, Irigwe, Kunlere, Mushere, Mwaghavul, Ron, Pan, Tarok and other ethnic youth bodies, stated its position at a press conference held on Wednesday at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT

Addressing journalists, leaders of the coalition said their attention had been drawn to a petition dated October 5, 2026, signed by Mujahid 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 organisations.

The petitioners had alleged biased and discriminatory operations against Fulani communities and held the DSS responsible for the killings and abductions of Fulani members, cattle rustling, the poisoning and shooting of cattle, among other crimes.

A video making the rounds on Facebook and other social media platforms made similar claims, alleging that only the Nigerian Army was acting in the interest of peace on the Plateau.

The coalition said the petition and video were intended to distort the facts and mislead Federal Government authorities and the general public.

According to the group, five objectives were discernible from the alleged campaign:
1. To intimidate and blackmail the State Director of the DSS, Mr Paul Damian.
2. To discredit the operations of the DSS, Mobile Police Force and Operation Rainbow, which, according to the coalition, led to the arrest of a notorious militant leader, Ardo Mahmoud Adams.
3. To disrupt ongoing joint operations involving local security volunteers.
4. To discourage inter-agency collaboration and intelligence sharing.
5. To portray the Nigerian Army as the only effective security force in the state.

Presenting what it described as the facts of the matter, the coalition claimed that joint operations by the DSS, Mobile Police Force and Operation Rainbow had exposed a pattern in which cattle were allegedly grazed alongside armed militants who attacked and occupied communities.

The group alleged that at least 152 hamlets, villages and communities had suffered such attacks.

It said Mr Paul Damian and the DSS were not involved in killings or cattle rustling, adding that cattle intercepted while grazing on farmlands were held pending the identification of their owners and the alleged perpetrators.

The coalition also alleged that Fulani militants had continued to ambush security operatives.

It cited the June 1, 2026, attack on a newly deployed DSS base at Nding Sesut, Fan, in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, as well as the August 23, 2026, attack on Tanjol and Tarai villages in Jol community.

According to the coalition, more than 400 militants attacked the communities, ambushed and killed two DSS officers, and took away their rifles before retreating to Rankum, in the Mahanga area of Riyom Local Government Area.

It further alleged that Mobile Police Force officers were killed two weeks ago in Dares and Kwi villages in Bokkos and Riyom Local Government Areas, respectively.

The group also claimed that the Operations Officer of Operation Rainbow, DSP David Babale, was ambushed and killed near a military checkpoint around Rakok village, on the outskirts of Barkin Ladi.

The coalition said similar ambushes had occurred at Kantoma and Alohgom in Mangu Local Government Area.

It also alleged that sponsors of the militants were raising ₦20 million to intensify media campaigns, file court cases and publish petitions, particularly in certain media outlets, in an effort to frustrate the crackdown on insurgency.

The group called for a thorough investigation into allegations of unprofessional conduct, compromise and collusion involving some Army personnel.

It warned that any demand for the withdrawal of the DSS, Mobile Police Force and Operation Rainbow from Plateau State would amount to support for the continuation of attacks and displacement.

It urged President Bola Tinubu and other Federal Government authorities not to succumb to what it described as manipulation.

“We smell a rat,” the coalition said, adding that the petition and video should be regarded as “ploys and strategies of distraction” and should not be accorded any value.

The coalition called for the appreciation and encouragement of the security agencies rather than their distraction or arbitrary removal.

The statement was jointly signed by Amb. Ezekiel Peter Bini, President of the Irigwe Youths Movement and Chairman of the Coalition; Dalyop Solomon Mwantiri, Esq., President of the Berom Youths Moulder-Association and Coordinator, Northern Zone; Amb. Miri Timnan Nyantau, President of the Tarok Progressive Youths Association and Coordinator, Southern Zone; and Mr Jonathan Kyesmang Yusuf, President of the Mwaghavul Youth Movement and Coordinator, Central Zone.

Police Arrest Four Suspected Robbery, Recover Firearms in Rivers

The Rivers State Police Command says its operatives have arrested four suspected members of an armed robbery and kidnapping syndicate allegedly terrorising residents of the state.
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The police said the syndicate operated across communities in the Obio/Akpor and Emohua Local Government Areas of the state.

The operatives recovered five firearms, including two AK-47 rifles, two pump-action rifles and one English-made double-barrel rifle, as well as a locally made revolver pistol and 58 rounds of live ammunition.

The spokesperson for the state police command, ASP Blessing Agabe, confirmed the arrests in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

Agabe said the operation followed a directive by the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, to intensify raids and targeted operations against criminal elements.

The statement partly read, “The Rivers State Police Command has arrested four suspected members of an armed robbery and kidnapping gang, recovered several firearms and ammunition following an intelligence-led operation.

“Based on credible intelligence, on the 4th October 2026, at about 1600hrs, the Commander, Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Rivers State Command, led a team of Police officers to Rumuekpe Community, Emohua Local Government Area.

“In line with the directives of the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command, CP Olugbenga A. Adepoju, psc, mnips, fcai, to intensify raids and targeted operations against criminal elements, operatives of the Command carried out these directives, which led to the arrest of the suspects.”

She identified the suspects as Chinemerem Uchewo, a native of Rumuekpe Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State; Michael Ishaka, from Adabor Community in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State; and Abdulahi George, from Oduoha Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The fourth suspect was identified as Gideon Okah, a native of Elele Alimini Community in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, who was arrested in Owerri, Imo State.

She said, “Preliminary investigation reviewed their involvement in several armed robbery and kidnapping incidents within Choba, Elele Alimini, Emohua and Rumuekpe communities in Rivers State.

“The suspects also confessed to the robbery and murder of Joseph Onyeka on 23rd July 2026 in Rumuji Community, as well as the attack and shooting of Inspector Womoma, attached to the Rivers State Police Command, while on duty at a checkpoint along the East-West Road by Elele Alimini Junction on 4th August 2026.

“Exhibits recovered include two AK-47 rifles, two pump-action rifles, one English-made double-barrel rifle, one locally made revolver pistol and 58 rounds of live ammunition.

“The Command has intensified efforts to arrest the fleeing criminal syndicate and bring all those connected to the criminal activities to justice,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Adepoju, commended the operatives for their courage, professionalism and commitment to combating violent crime in the state.

He assured residents that the command would continue to intensify intelligence-led raids, targeted operations and sustained investigations to dismantle criminal networks and recover illegal firearms.

Police

Adepoju advised criminals and their collaborators to desist from crime, warning that the command would leave no stone unturned in bringing perpetrators of armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes to justice.

He also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly provide the police with credible information about suspicious activities in their communities, assuring them that such information would be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
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Umahi in Kano Seeks Tinubu’s Second-Term Support Using Infrastructure Drive

The Honourable Minister of Works, Sen. Engr. David Nweze Umahi, CON, FNSE, FNATE, has called on Nigerians to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in office, citing the administration’s commitment to infrastructure development, economic reforms, and sustainable national growth.
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The Minister made the call on Tuesday, 20 October, 2026, during a Town Hall Meeting held at the Coronation Hall in Kano State, ahead of the commissioning of major road infrastructure projects scheduled for today, 21 October, 2026. He also commended the Kano State Governor, His Excellency, Abba Kabir Yusuf for his leadership, inclusiveness and efforts to promote peace, unity and development in the State.

Engr. Umahi expressed admiration for Kano’s cleanliness, describing it as an example of the environmental sanitation standards and responsible governance Nigerians deserve. He noted that the visible orderliness across the state reflected purposeful leadership and the effective use of public resources for the benefit of the people.

“I am yet to see another State that is beating Kano in cleanliness. In all the streets we passed through, you could pick a pin,” Umahi said, praising Governor Yusuf for maintaining high standards of sanitation and orderliness.

He also lauded the Governor for bringing together political leaders, former governor, prominent indigenes and other stakeholders, describing his inclusive approach to governance as a demonstration of mutual respect, accommodation and commitment to the collective progress of the State.

The Minister further advocated greater opportunities for Engineers to occupy leadership positions, stressing that their professional acumen, technical expertise and problem-solving abilities could contribute significantly to effective governance and infrastructure delivery.

He called on the people of Kano State to continue supporting Governor Yusuf, noting that his leadership approach and development efforts deserved recognition and reciprocity. He also reaffirmed the commitment of the South-East to national unity and President Tinubu’s administration, dismissing the perception that the zone was politically opposed to the President.

Speaking on the Federal Government’s economic reforms, Umahi described the removal of subsidy on petroleum products and other policy decisions as difficult but necessary steps towards repositioning the Nigerian economy for sustainable growth and prosperity.

According to him, the impact of the reforms is increasingly being reflected in developmental initiatives and infrastructure projects being implemented across the country. He urged Nigerians to remain patient and support the administration’s policies, maintaining that continuity in leadership would help consolidate the progress already achieved.

“The worst is over. The darkest part of the morning is the dawn. We are moving into prosperity as a result of the hard decisions occasioned by the reforms,” the Minister stated.

He urged Nigerians, and the good people of Kano State to support President Tinubu and Governor Yusuf for second terms, emphasising that continuity would sustain infrastructure development, strengthen national unity and consolidate the gains of ongoing economic reforms.

The Minister also expressed appreciation for the peaceful atmosphere, cleanliness and unity he witnessed in Kano, noting that his experience during the visit had positively influenced his perception of the state and encouraged him to reconsider his date of departure.

Earlier in his Welcome Remarks, Governor Yusuf expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for its commitment to infrastructure development and for the road projects being undertaken to improve the economy, transportation and connectivity in the State and the North West Zone, in general.

The Governor highlighted the significance of the scheduled commissioning of Outstanding Works on the Abuja-Kaduna–Zaria-Kano Expressway, Section I, Lot 1 (Zaria-Kano), as an important milestone in the country’s infrastructure development strides and a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to improving road transportation, which facilitates economic activities.

Umahi

Governor Yusuf expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the infrastructure interventions and other support extended to the State, while expressing optimism about a successful Commissioning Ceremony.

The Federal Ministry of Works reiterates its commitment to delivering durable, safe, and quality road infrastructure across the country in furtherance of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Mohammed A. Ahmed
Director, Information and Public Relations.
21 October, 2026.
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