Plateau Indigenous Youths Dismiss Campaign Of Calumny, Petition Against Security Operatives

A coalition of Plateau indigenous youth organisations has dismissed what it described as the campaign of calumny orchestrated against the Department of State Services (DSS), the Mobile Police Force and the Plateau State security outfit “Operation Rainbow.”

They also rejected a petition signed by Mudahid Abdullahi, on behalf of the Plateau Chapters of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Gan Allah Fulani Development Association of Nigeria (GAFDAN), Fulbe Youth Development Association (FUYODA), and others, over alleged biased and discriminatory operations against the Fulani communities.

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

Speaking for the coalition, President of the Berom Youths Moulder-Association and Coordinator of Indigenous Youth Nationalities, Northern Zone, Dalyop Mwantiri, 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 petitioners alleged that the DSS should be held responsible for killings and abduction of members of the Fulani community, rustling of cattle, poisoning and shootings of cows, amongst several other crimes in Plateau state.

“In addition, there is a video, to the same effect, making the rounds on many social media handles, including Facebook, claiming that the DSS, Mobile Police and Operation Rainbow are not serving the interest of peace on the Plateau EXCEPT for the Nigerian Army alone,” they stated.

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

The group said those actions were intended to intimidate and blackmail the State Director of the DSS, Paul Damian, discredit the service’s operations, Mobile Police Force and Operation Rainbow, which led to the arrest of a notorious militant leader, Ardo Mahmoud Adams, and disrupt ongoing joint operations involving local security volunteers, among others.

It also 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.

The coalition reiterated that Damian and the DSS were not involved in killings or cattle rustling, saying 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, citing 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.

It is alleged that 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.

The group 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 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.