One herder and over 100 cattle were reportedly killed in a string of attacks on herders in two villages within Jos South and Jos North local government areas of Plateau State.
The attacks, allegedly carried out by gunmen who opened fire on herders while they were grazing, highlight the fragile security situation in the areas long troubled by recurring farmer-herder conflicts, often resulting in the loss of lives and livelihoods.
Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, the State Secretary of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), confirmed the incidents and accused members of the Berom ethnic group from the affected communities of being behind the attacks.
However, the leadership of the Berom Youth Movement has denied the allegations, dismissing them as propaganda.
Daily Trust gathered that the first attack occurred on Tuesday evening in the Gero community of Jos South LGA, while the second took place on Wednesday morning in the Darwat community of Riyom LGA.
According to Babayo, three herders sustained injuries in the Gero attack. One of the victims is currently receiving treatment at a Hospital in Jos, While The Two Others Are Being Treated At The Military Hospital in Rukuba Barracks, Jos.
“On May 13, 2025, Berom youths from Gero, Ngel District in Jos South, mobilised and attacked cattle rearers, killing about 70 cows.
“They butchered some of the cattle and stole the meat. Troops from the Operation Safe Haven headquarters intervened and arrested three individuals found in possession of meat from the slaughtered cows,” Babayo said.
He further said, “On May 14, 2025, Berom youths in Darwat came in large numbers and began shooting at cattle belonging to our members.
“They killed over 40 cows, butchered some, and made away with the meat. There was no provocation-just like that, they began firing at the animals. It was a coordinated attack. We no longer feel safe. I have informed the GOC 3 Division and the State Director of Security about the situation.”
Babayo also revealed that these attacks are part of a disturbing pattern.
“In the past two weeks, there have been similar incidents where herders and their cattle were targeted. These attacks resulted in both human casualties and livestock theft. On Monday alone, a herder was declared missing and 41 cattle were rustled in Bisichi,” he added.
“We are being killed daily, seemingly to provoke us. We urge the government and the international community to take note of what is happening to us in Plateau State. As law-abiding citizens, we are calling on our members to remain calm. We also appeal to security agencies to end these senseless killings and protect Fulani herders from further attacks,” Babayo said.
‘It’s targeted violence against us’
Victims of the attack have recounted their ordeal, describing the slaughter of their cattle as a devastating loss. They urged the government to take swift action against what they describe as targeted violence against them and their livestock.
Shagari Ibrahim, one of the victims, described the attack as unprovoked.
He said, “We didn’t know what was happening. Suddenly, a group of people arrived while we were grazing and started firing gunshots at us.
“They began killing the cattle, and we don’t know what we did to deserve this. Look at their carcasses scattered everywhere. We are here with security agencies to assess the situation. What did we do to warrant this dastardly act?”
Another victim, Musa Ibrahim, said, “Around 9am, we saw youths approaching from different directions with sophisticated weapons. Without any provocation, they started shooting at us.
“They killed one herder and a large number of cattle. Three herders were also injured and are currently receiving treatment at the hospital. This is a serious crisis. We call on the federal government to do the needful.”
Audu Jibrin, who also lost cattle in the attack, said, “Yesterday (Tuesday), we witnessed something we have never seen in our lives. We were grazing peacefully when gunmen suddenly opened fire for no reason. Some of us managed to escape.
“They came in vehicles, killing cattle and stealing meat. Some cattle were even hacked with machetes. We don’t know the exact number lost, but so far, 70 have been confirmed killed in Gero. We are calling on the federal government to take decisive action. This is not the first time; it has become a recurring problem.”
Berom denies responsibility, MACBAN calls for calm
Responding to the allegations, the President of the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM) denied any involvement, saying, “I’m just hearing this from you.”
The BYM president described the accusations as baseless propaganda aimed at achieving hidden objectives.
“The tactic used by the Fulani is to spread propaganda and falsehood to portray themselves as victims.
“They make such claims to cover up their actions and to tarnish the image of the Berom. There has been no incident of cattle rustling or the killing of Fulani in the area. Our people are law-abiding citizens,” he said.
He added, “There was, however, an incident last night in Dajundun, Riyom, where four people were killed by Fulani. I call on the state government to ban open grazing.”
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in the state has urged its members to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their own hands, while trusting security agencies to deliver justice.
“We are strongly calling on our members to remain calm. We don’t want anyone to take the law into their own hands.
“This is not the first time we have endured such atrocities, and we have always exercised patience. This time, we urge our people to stay calm once again.
“We are calling on the federal government to act and bring an end to these killings.”
State govt reacts
The Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, said she was unaware of the incident but had attempted to verify the claim by contacting the Chairman of Riyom Local Government Area, who was, however, unreachable.
Ramnap said, “Regardless of the situation, the government will never condone any form of criminal activity in the state.
“Anything that threatens our peace will not be taken lightly. This administration will not tolerate any act that disrupts the fragile peace we have on the Plateau.
“We urge residents of the state to remain calm as we continue to consult and work towards finding lasting solutions to these challenges.”
Efforts to obtain an official response from Operation Safe Haven (OPSH)-the multi-security task force responsible for maintaining peace in Plateau and parts of Bauchi and Kaduna states-were unsuccessful.
Calls and messages to the task force’s spokesman, Major Samson Zhakom, went unanswered at the time of filing this report.
