A youth leader in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, Pam Fom, was ambushed and shot by suspected Fulani militias on Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026, just one day after he publicly condemned a terrorist attack that killed two young men in his community of Dorowa Babuje. The incident has sparked widespread concern over rising insecurity and the dangers faced by community voices speaking out against violence in the region. Fom, president of the Dorowa Babuje Youth Council, was targeted while traveling to a neighboring community, according to conflict journalist Masara Kim Usman, who confirmed the attack via a Facebook post on Thursday morning.
Usman, who had interviewed Fom the previous day, expressed shock at the swift retaliation. “So I interviewed this youth leader on an attack that killed two members of his community near Jos yesterday, and today he was shot by the same Fulani terrorist,” Usman wrote. During the interview, Fom described how the attackers, allegedly Fulani militias, concealed themselves among grazing cattle before ambushing two youths riding a motorcycle. After killing them, the gunmen moved to a nearby mining site and opened fire on workers, injuring several.
Fom had used the interview to urge the government and security agencies to provide better protection for his community. He warned that if authorities failed to act, the youth would be forced to take matters into their own hands, including arming themselves to defend their people. His words, however, may have made him a target. Barely hours after the interview, he was ambushed and shot, leaving him critically injured and abandoned by his attackers.
Another youth leader, Titus Badung, also confirmed the attack on social media. He stated that Fom had been shot just a day after speaking out about the earlier killings that had plunged Dorowa Babuje into mourning. Badung’s post echoed the growing fear among community leaders who now face not only the threat of violence but also retaliation for speaking truth to power.
The incident underscores the fragile security situation in Plateau State, where communities continue to grapple with attacks by armed groups, often blamed on herdsmen and bandits. The targeting of a youth leader who dared to speak publicly about the violence raises serious concerns about freedom of expression and the safety of community advocates. As investigations into the shooting continue, residents are calling for swift action from security forces to prevent further escalation.
This attack on Pam Fom is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of violence and intimidation in the region. It highlights the urgent need for government intervention and protection for civilians, especially those who speak out against injustice. The future of Dorowa Babuje and other vulnerable communities now hangs in the balance, as fear and silence threaten to replace courage and advocacy.
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