A day after the reported missing of a herder, Abdulrazak Yusuf, and the rustling of his 41 cattle in Bisichi enclave of Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau state, another herder, Dantala Kago, has been killed, Plateau state chairman of Miyyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, has said.
He said Wednesday that three other herders were injured, while 40 of their cattle were shot dead by gunmen in Gero community of Jos South local government area of the state.
He said: “Yesterday, Berom youth from Gero, Ngel district in Jos South LGA of Plateau state, mobilised and attacked cattle rearers, killing 40 cows. They butchered some of the cattle and took the meat.”
He added: “During the incident, one Dantala Kago was killed, and three others were severely injured and hospitalised. Dahiru is receiving treatment at JUTH, while two others are being treated at the Military Hospital, Rukuba Barracks, Jos. Troops from the Operations Safe Haven headquarters intervened and arrested three persons with the meat they cut from the cows they killed.
“In the past two weeks, similar incidents have occurred where herders and their cattle were targeted and resulting in fatalities and rustling. We are being killed daily to provoke us. We urge the government and the world to take note of what’s happening to us in Plateau. As law-abiding citizens, we call on members to remain calm. We also urge the security agencies to put an end to these senseless killings against Fulani herders.”
Denying the allegation, President Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM) said: “The tactics is that Fulani use propaganda and also falsehood to project themselves as victims. They just come out to cover up and to start doing something within themselves to paint Berom black. There was no incident of rusting cattle or killing of Fulani in the area.
“Our people are law- abiding citizens. There was an incident yesterday night in Dajundun, in Riyom and four people were killed by Fulani. I urge the state government to ban open grazing.”