At least four persons were reported killed in renewed violence in Riyom local government area of Plateau State on Sunday, as Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM) gave conflicting accounts of the incident.
At least four persons were reported killed in renewed violence in Riyom local government area of Plateau State on Sunday, as Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and the Berom Youth Moulders-Association gave conflicting accounts of the incident.
While MACBAN alleged that three Fulani herders were ambushed and killed while grazing their cattle around Tanjol in Jol Ward, BYM maintained that the deceased were armed attackers who invaded the community and were neutralised by local vigilantes and security personnel after allegedly killing a Berom resident. The latest incident has heightened tension in the area, with BYM calling on security agencies to arrest five injured suspects who it alleged escaped from the scene.
A youth leader in Mahanga, Abdullahi Ibrahim Yusuf, said the incident occurred at about 2 p.m. on Sunday, alleging that the victims were grazing their cattle when gunmen attacked them. He identified the deceased as Abdurrazak Abdullahi, 22; Husaini Idris, 23 and Yusuf Tukur, 19, while Ayuba Adam and Sadi Adamu sustained gunshot injuries. Reacting, the Plateau State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria , Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, condemned the killings, describing them as unprovoked.
Babayo said: “MACBAN expresses its profound sorrow and strongly condemns the tragic killing of three Fulani herders in an incident reported to have occurred around Tanjol in Jol Ward of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday, 19 July 2026. He accused members of the Berom ethnic group of carrying out the attack.
He appealed to Fulani youths to remain calm and refrain from reprisals, while urging security agencies to investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice. However, the Berom Youth Moulders-Association rejected the allegation, describing it as false and “a calculated attempt to distort the truth.
”In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, the association alleged that armed men it described as Fulani terrorists invaded Jol community on Sunday afternoon, killing Thomas Damang, 48, and injuring Ishaku Pam, 22; Ezra Yakubu, 28; and Shedrack Danladi, 34. According to the association, local vigilantes working alongside security personnel repelled the attack, during which three of the alleged assailants were neutralised, while five others allegedly escaped with gunshot wounds.
The association insisted that those reported by MACBAN as slain herders were, in fact, members of the group it alleged attacked the community. BYM called on security agencies to intensify efforts to track down and arrest the five injured suspects, saying their injuries provide an opportunity for investigators to identify and prosecute those responsible, if found culpable.
The association further appealed to the Federal Government, the National Human Rights Commission, civil society organisations, the international community and the media to pay closer attention to what it described as coordinated disinformation surrounding the Plateau conflict. At the time of filing this report, neither the Plateau State Police Command nor Operation Enduring Peace had issued an official statement on the incident. We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone.
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CLICK HERE TO STARTAchor Abimaje is a Senior Correspondent with Leadership Newspaper, recognised for human-angle reporting, investigative journalism, and conflict reporting. He is known for his nose for news and exclusives, sound reportorial judgement, and a commitment to balancing accuracy with speed through disciplined fact-checking.
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