When Will The Bloodshed Stop? Plateau’s Endless Cycle Of Revenge Is Destroying Everyone
By Olayemi Esan
Every fresh grave in Plateau State tells the same heartbreaking story: violence breeds violence, revenge fuels revenge, and innocent people pay the ultimate price.
The latest wave of killings should shake the conscience of every Nigerian.
Beyond the competing narratives, accusations and counter-accusations is one undeniable truth, families are burying loved ones, children are being orphaned, communities are living in fear, and peace remains painfully elusive.
Recent videos circulating online reflect the deep divisions surrounding the crisis.
One shows Fulani families mourning relatives reportedly killed in an attack allegedly carried out by armed Berom militia.
Another features a Berom youth leader grieving members of his community and accusing armed Fulani attackers of carrying out deadly assaults.
Whichever account one encounters, the anguish is unmistakable.
The tears are real. The funerals are real.
The shattered homes are real. Every victim leaves behind a family whose life has been permanently altered.
For decades, Plateau State has remained trapped in recurring communal violence driven by disputes over land, resources, identity and political representation.
What begins as a single attack too often spirals into a chain of reprisals, with each side seeking revenge for previous losses.
In the process, the distinction between victim and retaliator becomes increasingly blurred, while innocent civilians continue to suffer the most.
The time has come to reject every attempt to excuse criminality on the basis of ethnicity or communal affiliation.
Murder has no tribe. Criminals do not represent the Fulani, the Berom or any other ethnic community in Plateau State.
They represent lawlessness and should be treated accordingly.
Equally dangerous is the culture of shielding offenders simply because they belong to one’s ethnic or religious group.
Silence in the face of murder is not neutrality, it is complicity. Communities that protect killers today may well become victims tomorrow.
Lasting peace cannot take root where justice is sacrificed for ethnic loyalty.
Government must demonstrate that justice is truly impartial. Every allegation of violence deserves a thorough investigation, while every suspect should face prosecution based solely on credible evidence, not ethnicity, religion or political influence.
Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done if confidence in the rule of law is to be restored.
Security agencies also have a critical responsibility to move beyond reacting after attacks occur.
Intelligence-driven operations, stronger early-warning systems and proactive protection of vulnerable communities are essential to preventing bloodshed before it happens.
Traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth organisations, women’s groups and civil society must equally rise above divisions.
Their influence within local communities places them in a unique position to discourage reprisals, promote dialogue and encourage cooperation with security agencies.
Their leadership is indispensable in rebuilding trust.
The media also has a duty to report responsibly. In an era where misinformation spreads rapidly across social media, journalists must remain committed to factual, balanced and conflict-sensitive reporting. Headlines should inform, not inflame.
It is important to remember that the overwhelming majority of Fulani and Berom people simply want to live in peace.
They want to cultivate their farms, rear livestock, educate their children, build businesses and pursue better lives.
Their aspirations are no different from those of millions of Nigerians across the country.
The question confronting Plateau State, and indeed Nigeria, is no longer simply who attacked whom.
The more pressing question is: When will this end?
The answer will never be found in another reprisal attack, another funeral procession or another round of mutual accusations.
It lies in impartial justice, accountability without exception, responsible leadership and the collective resolve to reject violence as a means of resolving disputes.
History has repeatedly shown that no community truly wins a conflict sustained by revenge.
In the end, every side buries its dead, every family mourns, and every generation inherits deeper scars.
Plateau State deserves peace. Nigeria deserves peace. Breaking this tragic cycle is no longer an option, it is an urgent national imperative.
Olayemi Esan is a Nigerian journalist, Security, Defence and Counter-Terrorism Correspondent, and Public Relations Practitioner. She can be reached via yemiesan04@gmail.com or +234 803 513 2961.
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