By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
Tensions between pastoralists and local communities flared again in Plateau State as 43 cattle were reportedly gunned down on Wednesday morning in Darwg, Riyom Local Government Area. The attack, coming barely 24 hours after a similar incident in Gero, Jos South, has further deepened fears of reprisal and instability in the region.
Confirming the incident, the Plateau State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Babayo, said the assailants struck around 9 a.m. while herders were grazing their livestock.
“They opened fire on the cattle without any provocation. Yesterday, our members were attacked in Gero, and now again in Riyom. This looks like a coordinated effort to wipe us out,” Babayo said.
According to him, Tuesday’s incident in Gero resulted in the killing of 40 cattle and a herder, with three others seriously injured. He added that security authorities, including the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 3 Division and the State Director of Security, had been notified.
“Soldiers have been deployed to the area to assess the situation, but we are living in fear. This cycle of violence must stop,” Babayo warned.
Efforts to get a response from Operation Safe Haven were unsuccessful, as its spokesperson, Major Samson Zhakom, did not respond to calls or messages.
Reacting to the accusations, President of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Dalyop Solomon, dismissed MACBAN’s claims as misleading.
“The Fulani are trying to use propaganda to portray themselves as perpetual victims,” Solomon said. “We call on the state government to immediately enforce a ban on open grazing to prevent further conflict.”
The back-to-back attacks have raised fresh concerns about the fragile peace in Plateau State, a region long troubled by ethnic and communal clashes. While security agencies have been called in, residents fear that if urgent steps are not taken to de-escalate tensions, more violence may erupt.