Gunmen on Tuesday night attacked herders around the Gero community in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing one person and injuring another.
The Plateau State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, confirmed the incident to journalists on Wednesday, describing the attack as barbaric.
Babayo said the incident occurred around 8pm on the outskirts of Gero community while the victims were returning to their cattle shed after shopping in the area. He alleged that the attackers trailed the herders before opening fire on them.
According to him, one herder, Zakariya Abdullhai, was killed in the attack, while another, Jibrin Musa, sustained critical injuries and is currently receiving treatment. He said the association has recorded several attacks on herders and their cattle in the state in 2025.
The MACBAN chairman recalled a similar incident two weeks ago along the Bukuru Expressway near Conoil, where five Fulani herders were attacked and critically injured. He also said herders experienced multiple attacks, cattle rustling and killings across Plateau State in December.
Babayo accused members of an ethnic group of carrying out the attack and said the matter had been reported to security agencies. However, the National President of the Berom Youth Moulder-Association, Solomon Dalyop, denied the allegation, describing it as unfounded.
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Dalyop claimed that four members of his group were attacked on Tuesday at a mining site, adding that the affected herders were shot by fellow herders who allegedly came to attack the miners.
Babayo said MACBAN would continue to support the efforts of security agencies to maintain peace in the state, while calling on them to intensify efforts to arrest those responsible for the attack. He urged herders to remain calm and law-abiding and avoid taking the law into their hands.
Efforts to get a reaction from the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.