Three Herders Killed, 50 Cattle Shot Dead in Plateau Community Attacks

At least three herders were killed, and 50 cattle were shot dead on Saturday during an attack on a grazing area in Aloghom, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, with community leaders also reporting that some herders were missing. The victims were identified as Garzali Shaibu, 18, Bashiru Yakubu, 14, and Salim Abubakar, 15, whose funeral prayer was held at Mangu Central Mosque on Sunday before they were buried at Mangu Cemetery.

The incident followed another reported attack in Nyerwe, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, where a herder, Yakubu Ishaku, was killed and 18 cattle were destroyed on Thursday. Ibrahim Babayo, Plateau State chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), confirmed both incidents and alleged that the attacks were deliberate attempts to target Fulani herders and destroy their livelihoods.

Hashimu Yahaya of the Fulbe Fulani Development Association in Mangu described Saturday’s attack as brutal and unprovoked, while MACBAN said it had alerted security agencies including the Department of State Services and Operation Safe Haven.

Muhammad Salihu, MACBAN’s Mangu secretary, appealed to youths to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands, while urging authorities to investigate the killings and protect residents regardless of ethnic or religious background.

Plateau State has a history of recurring violence involving farming and herding communities, with previous conflicts resulting in deaths, displacement and destruction of property. The identities and motives of the attackers in the latest incidents had not been independently established at the time of reporting, while security personnel at the burial said investigations were ongoing.

Authorities and community leaders have continued to call for peace as concerns grow over repeated attacks and the safety of residents across affected communities.