The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in Plateau State has raised alarm over an alleged attack on herders in Izovo community, Miango district of Bassa Local Government Area, leaving three persons missing and five cattle killed.
The State Chairman of MACBAN, Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Jos on Sunday.
According to him, the herders were engaged in routine grazing activities when they were ambushed by gunmen he identified as members of an Irigwe militia group.
Babayo alleged that the attackers opened fire on the herders, forcing them to flee, before killing the cattle using machetes and gunshots.
“The attackers struck while the herders were grazing their cattle, opening fire and forcing them to flee before killing the animals,” he said.
He described the incident as unprovoked and warned that it poses a serious threat to the livelihoods of Fulani pastoralists, as well as ongoing peace efforts in the state.
“This act is not only a direct attack on the livelihood of innocent pastoralists but also a dangerous development capable of heightening tensions and undermining the fragile peace in the state,” Babayo stated.
The MACBAN chairman further called on security agencies to launch a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice, cautioning that failure to act decisively could escalate tensions in the area.
Efforts to obtain official reactions from the police and military authorities were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to relevant spokespersons were not responded to as of the time of filing this report.
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