Gunmen Kill Herders and Cattle in Plateau State

At least three herders were killed, and 50 cattle were shot on Saturday when gunmen attacked a grazing area in Aloghom, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State. Some herders went missing after the raid, according to community leaders.

In another report from Nyerwe in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, attackers killed a herder and 18 cattle. Hashimu Yahaya, the coordinator of the Fulbe Fulani Development Association in Mangu, named the three victims of Saturday’s attack as Garzali Shaibu, 18; Bashiru Yakubu, 14; and Salim Abubakar, 15.

Mr Yahaya called the attack brutal and unprovoked. Ibrahim Babayo, Plateau State chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), confirmed the incident, saying the victims were attacked while grazing their cattle. “The herders were just tending their cattle when suddenly the raiders attacked, shooting sporadically,” Mr Babayo said.

He noted that the attack followed the killing of a herder, Yakubu Ishaku, and the destruction of 18 cattle around Nyerwe on Thursday. “On Thursday, they killed a herder and 18 cattle around Nyerwe. Today, three herders and 50 cattle were killed,” he explained.

Mr Babayo claimed the attacks were part of a plan to target Fulani herders and destroy their livelihoods in Plateau State. He said MACBAN had alerted security agencies, including the Department of State Services and Operation Safe Haven, the military-led group responsible for maintaining peace in Plateau and some nearby states.

He urged affected communities to stay calm and avoid any temptation to retaliate. “I call on all herding communities to remain calm, as security forces have been informed about the situation. Nobody should take the law into their hands,” he stated.

“We are calling on all security agencies in the state to investigate those responsible for this incident and ensure justice is done for the victims. This is one too many.” Plateau State has seen repeated violence between farming and herding communities, with attacks in several local government areas leading to deaths, displacement, and loss of livelihoods.

The details surrounding Saturday’s attack, like the identities of the attackers and the motive for the killings, could not be confirmed from the information available when this report was filed. Attempts to reach the spokesperson for Operation Safe Haven, Polycarp Oteh, for the security forces’ account of the incident were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.