Gunmen Kill herders in Plateau community

Gunmen killed have killed  at least three herders along the Dorowa-Jong road in Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau State.

Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, state chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), confirmed the incident to journalists, saying it happened on Thursday.

The group’s chairman said the victims were ambushed by the gunmen while riding motorcycle, on way to their homes in Jong community after attending Qur’an Tafsir in Dorowa community around 7:pm.

He said, “The incident happened around 7:pm after they have attended Qur’an Tafsir in Dorowa, which often starts from 4:pm and ends between 5:pm to 5:30pm. They were ambushed on Motorcycle. This an unprovoked attack because the victims were not even grazing.

“The perpetrators, after shooting the victims, used knife to cut off the head of one of them. It was a brutal attack that should be condemned by all. We strongly believe this unprovoked attack was carried out by members of the Berom community, who have been perpetrating violence against our members and cattle.

“The world should see what is happening to us – our people are being targeted and killed with impunity. We condemn this act in the strongest terms and call on authorities to investigate and bring perpetrators to justice. This isn’t the first time our people have been targeted, and we seek protection and justice. We will not be provoked, but we demand action from state and federal governments to protect our people and livestock. The security forces, including soldiers and DPO, Barkin Ladi have all visited the scene of the incident,” Babayo added.

The MACBAN chairman, however, urged their members to remain calm and allow security agencies to handle the situation.

Spokesperson of Operation Enduring Peace, Captain Chinonso Polycarp Oteh, confirmed the incident.

He explained that the command received information of the incident on Thursday around 11pm and their officers were quickly mobilized to the scene of the incident.

Captain Oteh said the GOC 3 Division and commander of Operation Enduring Peace had expressed concern over the incident and vowed to track the perpetrators, adding that investigation into the incident has since begun.

He added that the GOC had appealed to the affected families to remain calm and allow security to investigate those responsible for the attack.

Berom denies allegation

The National President of Berom Youth Moulder Association, Solomon Dalyop, denied the allegation, stating that the Berom community has no killer group.

According to the President, “In a direct response to the usual frame up allegation by MACBAM Chairman, I hereby throw this question; who saw the killers as Berom without intercepting or getting them arrested? Could it not also be that the killer Fulani militants, in their mastery of terrorism, mistook these guys as Berom people thereby terminating their lives as usual? It is their usual antics whenever the armed Fulani have adequately prepared to launch hostility and aggression on innocent people, there would precede allegation and shift to responsibility to a target villages of ethnic groups instead of allowing authorities concerned to independent investigation.

“I call in relevant bodies to put their eyes on Miyetti Allah and its members to be held accountable for any attack that could be meted out on our people. We quite understand the trajectory of MACBAN; it is its intent to project and place all target ethnic nationalities, particularly the Berom, on a balance of terror parlance, “ Dalyop added.

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