Fresh Tension in Plateau: Gunmen Kill 13-Year-Old Herder, 36 Cattle, 49 Others Missing in Barkin Ladi Attack

Tension has again gripped Plateau State following a fresh attack by suspected gunmen in Inzon community, Fan District of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, which left a 13-year-old herder dead and scores of cattle killed and missing.

According to reports, the incident occurred on Tuesday evening when armed assailants opened fire on a group of herders returning from grazing, killing young Abubakar Wada and 36 cattle, while 49 others remain unaccounted for. Two of the herders narrowly escaped the ambush.

Confirming the development, Plateau State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, condemned the attack, describing it as “barbaric and totally unprovoked.”

> “We have counted over 80 cattle affected—36 killed, while 49 are still missing. The attackers, believed to be members of the Berom ethnic group from Fan District, struck without any form of provocation,” Babayo told Daily Trust.

He urged members of the association to remain calm and resist any temptation to take the law into their own hands.

> “We are calling on herders across the state to maintain peace and allow security agencies to investigate and bring the culprits to justice,” he added.

The MACBAN Secretary in Barkin Ladi said security agencies swiftly responded to the distress call and have since visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.

> “The Chief of Staff of Operation Safe Haven, the DPO in Barkin Ladi, and the Sector Commander were all at the location of the incident,” he said, revealing that five cattle were similarly killed on Sunday in the same community before the latest attack.

Berom Youths Deny Allegation

However, the National President of the Berom Youths Moulders Association (BYM), Barrister Solomon Dalyop, dismissed the claims by Miyetti Allah, describing them as “false and misleading.”

> “The allegation against our peace-loving inhabitants of Fan District is an attempt to justify planned aggression against our people,” Dalyop said.
He counter-accused armed herders of carrying out simultaneous attacks on Berom communities in the same district.

> “We are aware of two coordinated attacks by suspected Fulani armed groups around 7:30 pm on October 6, which led to the killing of one Mr. Timothy Ishaku Chollom,” he stated.

Dalyop also expressed concern over what he termed “forceful grazing into farmlands and residential areas”, which he said threatens food security and peace in the area.

Reacting to the reports, the Acting Deputy Director, Public Relations, 3 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, confirmed that the military has contacted the Sector Commander in Barkin Ladi for verification and further investigation.

> “Security operatives are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident to prevent further escalation,” Danja said.

Fragile Peace Under Threat

The renewed violence has once again heightened fears of reprisal attacks in Barkin Ladi, a flashpoint in the protracted farmer-herder conflict that has plagued Plateau State for years.

Local residents say the repeated cycle of attacks and counterattacks has deepened mistrust between farming and herding communities, threatening the fragile peace efforts in the state.

> “If security agencies don’t act fast, the situation could degenerate,” a resident warned.