Plateau: Gunmen Attack Herders, Rustle 168 Cattle in Two LGAs

A series of coordinated attacks on Wednesday evening left herders in two Plateau State communities counting heavy losses after gunmen made away with 168 cattle.

According to the state chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, the incidents occurred in Barikin Ladi and Jos East local government areas. He confirmed the development on Thursday in Jos.

Babayo explained that the first attack took place near Nding community in Fan district, Barikin Ladi LGA, where 137 cattle were seized. The second occurred in Kukukah community of Jos East LGA, where 34 cattle were rustled—three of which later returned.

The stolen livestock belong to three herders: Alh. Wada Sale, Abdullahi Yusuf, and Alh. Talba Abubakar.

He said security agencies were immediately alerted, including the DSS, Operation Enduring Peace, the police, and the Sector 4 commander in Barkin Ladi. Babayo added that the attackers opened fire on the herders before driving the animals away, forcing the herders to flee.

Describing the situation as “unfortunate,” he urged affected families to remain calm and allow security operatives to carry out investigations, while calling on authorities to track down those responsible.

In a separate reaction, the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM) refuted claims of cattle rustling in the Nding area. Its national president, Barrister Solomon Dalyop, said their findings revealed no such incident and described the report as misleading.

Dalyop noted that communities in Fan had long maintained there were no designated grazing areas in the district. He urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the claims to determine the facts.

When contacted, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Danja, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 3rd Division, said the matter would be forwarded to the sector commander and intelligence unit for necessary action.