A youth group in Plateau State, under the auspices of “Plateau Youth Conscience”, PYC, has called on US Congressman Riley Moore to visit the state to witness the high number of Internally Displaced People, IDPs, scattered across different parts of the state.
Moore, who is the leader of the US delegation on fact-finding of Christian genocide in Nigeria, on Wednesday, had reported that his team’s visit to Benue State revealed that there are more than 600,000 Christian IDPs in various camps.
Moore, who has been one of the most vocal voices of US lawmakers against alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, especially in the Middle Belt region of the country, has been in the country with a delegation to find the truth about the allegations.
The Nigerian government has strongly and vehemently denied this.
However, the PYC, in a statement issued by its Coordinator, Peter Agas, noted that what Moore and his team witnessed would be child’s play compared to what he would meet in Plateau.
According to him, the state has witnessed violent attacks, killings, and the displacement of communities for over 25 years.
In the statement, Agas said that, at a rough count, internally displaced people in Plateau are more than one million and are facing a dire situation in various camps in different local government areas, especially in Bokkos, Mangu, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bassa, and Kanam LGAs, which have been the epicenter of the attacks.
“The visit of US Congressman Riley Moore and his team to assess the level of Christian genocide in Nigeria is a most welcome development,” Agas said.
“We have cried out over the killing of Christians in Plateau State by bandits and terrorists but the Nigerian government has continued to deny the reality. Even our father, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, who has been the most vocal voice, has been threatened, branded a liar, and told to shut up.
“With Moore and his team coming to find out the true situation, we beg them to come to Plateau State and see things for themselves. In this state, we have more than one million people in IDP camps and their conditions are quite appalling.
“If they come to these camps, they will weep at what the inmates are going through,” Agas said.
He noted that most of the inmates in the camps have been reduced to destitution, with many of them turning to begging while the ladies have turned to prostitution, all in a bid to survive.
“Even the security personnel in the camps have turned the ladies into their sex slaves and only share rations with those who agree to sleep with them.
“We are begging Rep. Moore and his team to please come to Plateau to see things for themselves,” Agas pleaded.