The fragile peace in Plateau State suffered another setback as two herders, a male and a female, were killed by unidentified assailants near the Tahore community in Bokkos Local Government Area.
According to local accounts, the duo was returning home from the Maikatako market on a motorcycle when they were ambushed and shot dead.
The Plateau State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, confirmed the incident during a press briefing in Jos.
He disclosed the names of the victims as Umar Sa’idu and Rashida Yakubu.
Babayo, while expressing outrage over the killings, urged relevant authorities to act decisively to prevent further bloodshed.
“Soon after the attack, I informed the commander of Operations Safe Haven and GOC 3 Division of the Nigerian Army about the incident.
“I also informed the state commissioner of police and the State Director of Security.
“They all asked us to be patient as they would carry out investigations and warned us against reprisal,” he stated.
He called on Fulani residents to exercise restraint and avoid retaliatory actions. “We should not take the law into our own hands.
“Though what is happening to our members is heartbreaking, we trust security forces to be just.
“We have lost over 100 cattle and herders recently, and now two more members,” Babayo said.
However, the Bokkos Cultural Development Council (BCDC) Vanguard distanced its members from the killings. Responding to inquiries, BCDC member John Apollos Maton said, “Our members have not attacked anyone.
“The only people they engage with are the terrorists that attack our communities. So if they are claiming these people, then they are the terrorists that have been attacking us.”
Efforts to obtain a response from the spokesperson of Operation Safe Haven, Major Samson Zhakom, were unsuccessful at the time of this report.
In recent months, Bokkos has witnessed recurring violence, with several people reportedly killed in attacks between March and April. Security forces have since increased their presence in the area.
Last week, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, GOC of the 3 Division and Commander of Operation Safe Haven, convened a security meeting in Jos South and Riyom LGAs to address the rising tensions and promote peace efforts across Plateau State.