Over 37 cattle were shot dead on Sunday, April 27, in the Tashek community of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Mr. Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, the chairman of Plateau State chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), who confirmed the incident, said it occurred around 1pm.
Meanwhile, this latest attack comes barely a week after a similar incident occurred in Tanjol community, 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.”
