Two people who take care of cows and more than 100 cows were reportedly killed in what seemed to be a revenge attack in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau state.
In Kwal district, where the attack happened, a leader named Ezekiel Bini told The PUNCH in Jos on Saturday that before the incident on Wednesday, a young man who went to his farm was killed by suspected herders the previous day.
Bini explained, "A man whose wife and children were previously killed by suspected herdsmen in 2021 went to the farm on Tuesday. He was attacked and killed by the same suspected herders."
"During his burial the next day on Wednesday, some people who were angered by the development might have suddenly gone on a rampage and attacked the herders in retaliation, leading to the death of the victims and the cows."
The chairmen of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Gan Allah Fulani Development Association (GAFDAN), Nura Abdullahi and Garba Abdullahi, expressed sorrow over the incident and confirmed that over 100 cattle were also stolen during the attack.
Describing the incident, the GAFDAN chairman said, "The herders were taking care of their cattle around 9 am on Wednesday when some gunmen appeared and started shooting."
"They shot two herders dead. They also shot over 200 cattle. We are yet to determine the full extent of the damage because the incident occurred in a remote area that is difficult to access without security operatives. We have suffered a significant loss."
"It is high time for security agencies to take action against the atrocities being committed against our people. Whenever we are attacked, security agencies always ask us to remain calm. This is an attempt to annihilate us, as it was an unprovoked attack. We are calling on security agencies to come to our aid," Garba said.
The spokesperson for Operation Safe Haven, which is maintaining peace in the state, Major Samson Zhakom, did not respond to the inquiry on the incident at the time of filing this report.
Our correspondent reports that gruesome pictures of the cattle and the young man killed by the suspected herders have been circulating on social media.
Many residents who reacted to the killings condemned the attacks and urged perpetrators to allow peace reign in the area and other parts of the state.
