Former Military Administrator of Plateau State, Rear Admiral Bitrus Atukum (rtd), has called on the Federal Government to officially label Fulani herdsmen attacking Plateau communities as terrorists, describing their actions as calculated acts of economic sabotage and land grabbing.
Speaking in response to the recent massacre in Bokkos Local Government Area, where over 50 villagers were killed and thousands displaced, Atukum accused the assailants of intentionally striking during planting and harvest seasons to impoverish residents.
“This is strategic terrorism,” Atukum said. “They are not just attacking unarmed civilians, they are waging war on the country.”
He lambasted the government’s handling of the crisis, claiming it is treating the Plateau’s insecurity with “kid gloves.” He challenged military authorities to flush out armed herdsmen hiding in the hills, where, he said, they stash weapons and launch assaults on nearby villages.
Atukum also condemned a recent press briefing in Kaduna by Fulani leader Garba Abdullahi Mohammed, demanding a federal investigation into the claims made there.
“You cannot shield inciting speeches under freedom of expression—especially not days after fresh bloodshed,” he stated.
Calling for self-defense, Atukum urged citizens to rise and protect their ancestral lands: “This is not a farmer-herder clash. It’s an invasion. How can you clash in someone’s bedroom?”
His remarks come amid growing frustration over repeated attacks in Plateau State and what many locals see as government inaction.
