Four herders and nine cows were reportedly killed, while several houses were set ablaze in two separate attacks in Bokkos and Bassa LGAs of Plateau State on Tuesday.
Five other people, including women, sustained injuries during the attacks and are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Bokkos.
The incidents occurred just hours after an earlier attack in which seven members of a family were killed in the Kopmur community, Mushere District of Bokkos.
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Earlier this week, Daily Trust reported the killing of a clergyman, Reverend Mikang Lekyil, who was shot dead by suspected kidnappers in Kwakas.
Two women, including the reverend’s wife, were also injured in the attack.
The clergyman’s murder was allegedly followed by the burning of a Fulani settlement in the Dingak community.
These developments have heightened tensions in the Bokkos area.
On Tuesday alone, seven people were reportedly killed in Kopmur, adding to the growing unrest.
Speaking on the renewed violence, the Plateau State chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, confirmed that one of the attacks took place in Tangoron, Bassa LGA, while the second occurred in Mushere, Bokkos LGA.
He said gunmen killed a herder and opened fire on grazing cattle, resulting in the killing of nine animals.
He said he had visited the scene and informed the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army and the state police command, who advised calm.
Also reacting, the state chairman of the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association (GAFDAN), Garba Abdullahi, condemned the killings and urged security agencies to launch a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice.
However, when contacted, spokespersons for Operation Safe Haven, Major Samson Zhakom, and the Plateau State Police Command, DSP Alabo Alfred, had not responded to calls or messages from Daily Trust as of the time of filing this report.
In a contrasting statement, the Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council (BCDC), Farmasum Fuddang, claimed that reported killings of herders in Mushere Central may be an attempt to divert attention from previous attacks allegedly carried out by herders on farming communities.
“If such an incident occurred, they should report it to the appropriate security agencies. Making such claims only points to their culpability in previous attacks on our people,” he said.
Daily Trust notes that Bokkos and other parts of Plateau State have for years been plagued by recurring clashes between farming and herding communities, with both sides accusing each other of deadly attacks and reprisals.
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