“They used their knives and cut all his body”

DDM News

Tension and grief have once again gripped the Miango community in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State following the brutal killing of a 56-year-old farmer by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the victim, whose name was not immediately disclosed, was attacked on Thursday, July 17, 2025, while inspecting his millet farm that had allegedly been invaded and grazed upon by roaming cattle.

According to the victim’s son, Stephen, who spoke with PUNCH Online in Jos, his father had gone to the farm to check on his crops, only to find that they had been damaged by cattle.

Upon confronting the herders and asking them to vacate the farmland, an argument ensued that quickly escalated into violence.

“They used their knives and cut all his body, leaving him in a pool of his blood,” Stephen said, his voice filled with emotion.

He narrated that his father simply asked the herders to move their cattle away, in order to prevent further destruction of the millet crops.

But rather than comply, the herders allegedly pulled out knives and launched a deadly assault, repeatedly slashing the victim until he collapsed in his own blood.

“My father was just trying to protect his farm,” Stephen said. “He didn’t provoke them. He only asked them to leave.”

The killing has triggered fresh outrage in the Miango community, where similar incidents involving farmers and herders have led to a long history of distrust and violence.

Stephen also criticized the delayed response of security agencies, saying that residents reported the attack to local authorities on Thursday, but no personnel arrived until the next morning.

“That delay is frustrating and painful,” he lamented. “By the time help came, my father was already dead.”

Efforts to reach Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, Alabo Alfred, for official comment proved abortive, as his phone was reportedly unreachable at the time of filing this report.

The gruesome killing has left many farmers in fear, prompting renewed calls for the state government and security agencies to step up protection for rural dwellers.

Community members are urging the Joint Military Taskforce and state police command to investigate the incident thoroughly and bring the culprits to justice.

Residents say this is not the first time such violence has occurred in the area, and without accountability, they fear the killings will continue.

In recent years, Plateau State has witnessed multiple flashpoints of conflict between farming communities and pastoral herders, often resulting in loss of lives and property.

The latest killing adds to a string of unresolved cases that have left rural families feeling abandoned by the system.

Meanwhile, human rights activists and civil society groups are calling on federal and state authorities to take decisive steps to end the bloodshed and protect citizens’ right to life and livelihood.

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