Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Plateau State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has accused gunmen it described as “Irigwe militias” of killing three Fulani herders in separate attacks in Bassa Local Government Area of the state. The herders, identified as Muhammad Salihu Isa, 15; Sani Ibrahim, 18; and Asma’u Salihu, were reportedly killed while grazing their cattle in the Kpanchuku and Gana Ropp communities.
In a statement signed by the Plateau State Secretary of MACBAN, Muhammad Salihu Isa, the association described the killings as barbaric, inhumane, and unprovoked. The statement read: “Sani Ibrahim, 18 years old, was attacked and killed by suspected armed Irigwe militia at Kpachuku in Jebbu Bassa Local Government Area on 14th August, 2026, while grazing his cattle. In a separate attack, a 15-year-old herder, Muhammad Salihu Isa, and another young man, Asma’u Salihu, were killed when gunmen attacked the community.”
MACBAN condemned the attacks, describing them as unprovoked, as the herders and their cattle did not encroach on any farmland. The association lamented that in the last one week, it had lost many herders and cattle to gunmen, making it impossible for members to move freely to tend to their livestock. Despite the incessant attacks, MACBAN called on all members and the general public to remain calm and law-abiding, and not to take the law into their own hands.
The association further urged security agencies and all relevant authorities to intensify efforts to apprehend the perpetrators and ensure they face the full wrath of the law. “This dastardly act should not be continued,” MACBAN said, commiserating with the families of the deceased.
The killings come amid persistent communal tensions in Plateau State, where farmer-herder conflicts have frequently escalated into deadly violence. The Irigwe Youth Movement had previously countered similar allegations by MACBAN, denying that herders were killed by Irigwe youths in earlier incidents. However, the latest attacks have renewed calls for security agencies to intervene and prevent further bloodshed.
The Plateau State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the killings. Meanwhile, residents of the affected communities remain on edge as the cycle of violence continues to claim lives on both sides of the conflict.
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