BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – Tragedy again struck in Plateau state as a group of unidentified gunmen suddenly stormed the Aloghom community of Mangu Local Government Area, killing three herders and slaughtering about 50 cattle.
Coming just 24 hours after another herder, Yakubu Ishaku, was ambushed and killed in the nearby Nyerwe community of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state, this fresh bloodshed marks an unfortunate escalation of violence in the country’s North central region.
Local leaders expressed profound shock over the back-to-back violent attacks with Hashimu Yahaya, Coordinator of the Fulbe Fulani Development Association in Mangu LGA, condemning the latest ambush as a brutal assault on individuals who were simply carrying out their daily livelihoods.
Yahaya identified the young victims who lost their lives in the wake of the unprovoked assault as Garzali Shaibu, 18; Bashiru Yakubu, 14; and Salim Abubakar, 15.
The Plateau State chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, who also confirmed the incident, said the assailants stormed the grazing area and caught the victims completely off guard, opening fire indiscriminately while they were tending to their livestock.
According to him: “The herders were just tending to their cattle when suddenly the perpetrators attacked and started shooting sporadically. On Thursday, they killed a herder and 18 cattle around Nyerwe. Today, three herders and 50 cattle were killed.
“This is an unprovoked attack because the herders were going about their peaceful activities. It is obvious that it is a calculated attempt to cleanse Fulani herders and destroy their means of livelihood in Plateau. We have informed all the relevant security agencies in the state, including DSS and Operation Enduring Peace.”
The MACBAN chairman further condemned the attack and called on herders in the state to remain calm and law-abiding, saying: “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.
“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.”
However, as the story developed, official confirmation from the military remained elusive as the military task force’s spokesperson, Captain Polycarp Oteh, could not be reached for comment and did not respond to multiple inquiries from reporters regarding the incident by the time this publication went online.
