Two herdsmen and 150 cows killed in a reprisal attack on the plateau

Two herdsmen and over a hundred cows were reportedly killed in an apparent reprisal attack in Bassa Local Government Area of ​​Plateau State

A community leader in Kwal district where the attack took place, 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 herdsmen the day before.

Bini said: “What happened was that a man whose wife and children had been killed by suspected herdsmen earlier in 2021 had gone to the farm on Tuesday.” He was attacked and killed by the same suspected herdsmen.

“During his funeral the next day on Wednesday, some people who were upset over the development may have suddenly rioted and in retaliation, immediately attacked the herdsmen, which would have resulted in the death of the victims and cows.”

State Chairmen of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Gan Allah Fulani Development Association (GAFDAN), Nura Abdullahi and Garba Abdullahi, lamented the incident and confirmed that over 100 cattle were also looted in the attack.

Describing the incident, the GAFDAN chairman said: “The herdsmen were tending to their livestock around 9 a.m. on Wednesday when some armed men appeared and started shooting.

“They shot two shepherds. They also shot over 200 cattle. We have yet to determine the full extent of the damage as the incident occurred in a remote area that is difficult to access without security forces. We have suffered a significant loss.

“It is high time that the security agencies take action against the atrocities against our people. When we are attacked, the security authorities always ask us to remain calm. This is an attempt to destroy us as it was an unprovoked attack. We call on security agencies to help us,” Garba said.

The spokesman for Operation Safe Haven, which maintains peace in the state, Major Samson Zhakom, did not respond to a query about the incident at the time of filing this report.

Our correspondent reports that gory pictures of the cattle and the young man killed by the suspected herdsmen were circulating on social media.

Many residents who responded to the killings condemned the attacks and called on the perpetrators to allow peace in the area and other parts of the state.