37 cattle shot dead in Plateau community

At least 37 cattle were reportedly shot dead on Sunday, April 27, in the Tashek community of Riyom Local Government Area, Plateau State, in yet another attack targeting herders.

According to the state chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), the incident occurred around 1 p.m. and was confirmed by the association’s secretary, Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo.

This latest attack comes barely a week after a similar incident in Tanjol community, also in Riyom LGA, where gunmen opened fire on herders, injuring two individuals and killing five cattle.

The chairman said the attack was unprovoked and added that it was a deliberate move by the perpetrators to achieve a hidden goal.

Babayo said, “Gunmen stormed the area and started shooting at grazing cattle, leading to the death of 37 cattle and injury of the herder. Immediately after the attack, I called on the sector commander of Operation Safe Haven in Riyom to inform him about the incident and he subsequently deployed troops to the scene to assess the situation .”

The chairman also said he had informed heads of security agencies in the state, including commander OPSH and GOC 3 division, commissioner of police and State Director Security (SDS), about the incident, adding that “they all acknowledged the report and asked to not take law into our hands as efforts are being done to arrest the perpetrators.”