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On Friday, the people of Riyom in Plateau State came together to bury 27 of their brothers, sisters, parents, and children—ordinary people who were gunned down in their own communities earlier this week. The burial was quiet but heavy. Heavy with pain, confusion, and questions that still have no answers. People cried, but many were too tired to even shed tears. It was a sorrow that words could not fully describe. Read our last post: Wahala dey: SUG Election - Oko Poly Bans Stepping Down, Threatens Expulsion
The attack happened days ago, but the wounds it left behind will take years to heal. Unknown gunmen stormed the area in the dead of the night and opened fire on homes and families who were just trying to sleep. Many never woke up. Some were mothers who had only gone out to fetch water, some were children who had just returned from school. Some were men who had worked all day on their farms and were resting on their mats when death came knocking.
As the coffins were lowered into the earth, one after the other, the pain was too much for many families to bear. People held on to each other for support. The graveyard was filled with the kind of silence that makes you shiver. No one should have to bury so many loved ones at once, and yet, this is not the first time the people of Plateau are going through this. In fact, for many, it felt like history repeating itself.
The Chairman of Riyom Local Government Area stood in front of the mourners, looked at the bodies being buried, and called the attack evil. He said it loudly and with anger in his voice. He asked the government to stop playing with the lives of innocent people. He begged for real action, not just empty visits and promises. “How many more will die before we are safe?” he asked.
Community leaders, religious leaders, and local chiefs also spoke. Some cried as they spoke. Others struggled to hold back tears. They talked about the pain of watching their children grow up in fear. They shared how businesses have collapsed, how schools have closed, and how even farming is now a dangerous thing. Many people in Riyom have left their homes because they are afraid they might be the next victims.
Security men have now been sent to the area to maintain peace, but for many residents, it is like medicine after death. The Plateau State Police Command has promised to investigate and find those behind the killings, but the people have heard such promises many times before. What they want now is not just investigation, they want arrests. They want justice. They want to sleep at night without fear of hearing gunshots.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang did not attend the burial himself, but he sent people to represent him. Through them, he said he would do everything to make the state safer. But the people of Riyom are tired of promises. They want to see real change. They want to see more security, more support, and more protection.
The saddest part is what happens after the burial. Most of the families who lost loved ones were already struggling financially. Some have lost their only source of income. Some children are now orphans. Some wives are now widows. Some homes are now empty and quiet, with no one left to laugh or even eat together. For these families, the pain did not end at the grave—it only just began.
Humanitarian organisations are now trying to help. Food, clothes, and shelter are being provided to those who lost everything. But no matter how much they give, it can never replace the people who were killed. The families now have to rebuild their lives from zero. They have to start again, without their loved ones. And in a country where even the living struggle to survive, starting over is not easy.
This is not just a news story. It is the story of real people, of real pain, and of a community that is tired of crying. It is a call to action. Something must be done, and it must be done now. Plateau State cannot continue like this. The people deserve peace. They deserve to live, work, and raise their children without fear.
As Prudent Joshua, I am not just writing this as a reporter. I am writing this as a Nigerian who is tired of bad news, tired of mass burials, tired of promises that are never fulfilled. We must all rise and speak. Today it is Riyom. Tomorrow, it could be any of us.
