Plateau State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, has alleged that a local militia gang operating in the Izovo community, Miango district of Bassa Local Government Area of the state, attacked herders on Saturday afternoon, resulting in three herders going missing and five cows being killed.

The state MACBAN Chairman, Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, confirmed the incident in a statement in Jos on Sunday.

He said the herders were going about their legitimate business when the gunmen, whom he described as ‘Irigwe Militias,’ ambushed and attacked them.

In the statement made available to journalists, Babayo stated that the attack was unprovoked and had been reported to the relevant security agencies.

“The attackers who were identified as Irigwe Militias, struck while the herders were grazing their cattle, opening fire and forcing the herders to flee before killing the animals with machetes and gunshots,” the MACBAN Chairman said.

He described the attack as a threat to the livelihood of Fulani pastoralists and a risk to 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.

“Cattle rearing remains a legitimate means of livelihood for thousands of families, and any form of violence against it must be treated as a serious offense,” Babayo added.

He called on security agencies to investigate the attack and bring those responsible to justice, warning that failure to act could worsen tensions.

Efforts to contact the state Police spokesman, Alabo Alfred, and the Media Information Officer of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), Captain Polycarp Oteh, were unsuccessful, as they neither answered calls nor replied to messages sent via WhatsApp.

Three herders missing, five cows killed by local militias in Plateau – MACBAN