By Erewunmi Peace

The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has expressed deep concern over the renewed wave of killings in parts of Plateau State, alleging that what is unfolding amounts to a genocidal campaign against the indigenous peoples of the region.

In a statement issued on Monday, the MBF said that the pattern and frequency of attacks on communities in Plateau and other parts of the Middle Belt indicate a deliberate attempt to wipe out ethnic minorities.

The group cited the recent assault on Rachas Village in Heipang District, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, where at least 13 persons were reportedly killed, as further evidence of targeted violence.

“These killings are not random. They form part of a systematic effort to exterminate the indigenous population of the Middle Belt,” the forum stated.
“What is happening in Plateau and surrounding states fits the definition of genocide under the United Nations Convention.”

The MBF called on the Federal Government and the United Nations to immediately intervene, conduct an independent investigation, and bring the perpetrators to justice. It also urged the international community to take the crisis in Nigeria’s Middle Belt seriously before it escalates further.

violence have continued to emerge from Mangu, Barkin Ladi, and Bassa local government areas, where residents have accused armed herders of carrying out night raids that result in deaths, destruction of farmlands, and mass displacement.

Independent news sources including The Guardian and Vanguard confirm that several villages have been attacked in the past few weeks, though casualty figures remain unclear.

However, the Nigerian government and security agencies are yet to describe the incidents as genocide. They maintain that investigations are ongoing and that security operatives have been deployed to restore order in the affected areas.

Analysts warn that the persistent insecurity in Plateau State — long a flashpoint between farmers and herders — is worsening ethnic tensions and humanitarian crises across the Middle Belt region.

The MBF, led by Dr. Pogu Bitrus, emphasized that the failure of authorities to prosecute attackers has emboldened armed groups, calling for decisive military action and the establishment of a peace and reconciliation process in affected communities.

“We cannot continue to count our dead while the world watches in silence,” the forum said.

While the Middle Belt Forum has alleged genocide, independent verification of the claim remains ongoing. Human rights groups and government agencies have yet to classify the Plateau killings as genocide under international law.