Troops Recover 13 Sheep in Mangu, as Attacked Herdsman go Missing

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Sector 8, Operation Safe Haven (OPEP), have recovered 13 sheep in Sabon Gari village in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State following a suspected attack on a herder who was either killed or just vanished.

Sources said that the troops responded to the incident at about 6:30 p.m. on May 12, 2026, after receiving information that strayed livestock were discovered in the community without the owner.

On arrival at the scene, the troops reportedly found 13 sheep grazing without any herder in sight. The animals were subsequently taken into custody by the troops for further action and documentation.

Security sources said the absence of the herder raised concerns about his possible safety and whereabouts. Sources maintained that the disappearance of the harder raised suspicions that he may have been eliminated by assailants in the community.

Preliminary assessment of the situation has prompted security considerations within the area, as incidents involving farmer–herder misunderstandings and livestock encroachment have continued to be recorded in parts of Plateau State.

Authorities are expected to carry out further inquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and to determine the appropriate disposition of the recovered livestock.

Troops Recover 13 Sheep in Mangu, as Attacked Herdsman go Missing

“It Is Obvious the Video Is Fake” Gov. Mutfwang Dismisses Viral Plateau Burial Attack Video as Fake, Warns Against Rumour-Mongering

By Zagazola Makama

Governor Caleb Mutfwang has dismissed the viral video circulated by Plateau- based activist Masara Kim Usman alleging a “jihadist attack” during a burial ceremony in Barkin Ladi, describing the footage as fake and deliberately designed to cause panic.

The governor made the remarks during a recent Security Council meeting while addressing the growing security issues and the spread of unverified security reports and sensational narratives on social media concerning the security situation in Plateau State.

“It is obvious that the video is fake,” Mutfwang said while reacting to the controversial footage that had been widely circulated online and featured in international interviews.

The video had claimed that armed Fulani attackers stormed a burial ground during funeral rites, allegedly opening fire on mourners from surrounding hills with sophisticated weapons.

However, The Nigerian Police Force who provided security at the scene of the burial and other relevant security agencies in the state found no confirmed casualty, injury or medical record linked to the alleged attack.

The governor’s comments came barely two days after he cautioned social media activists, media, bloggers and online champions against spreading rumours and unverified reports capable of inflaming tensions and damaging the image of the state.

“We are not saying that every incident should be swept under the carpet. We keep accurate data of all accounts of incidents,” the governor said.

“We are not saying that there is no attacks but many of you that are in the hurry to put it on social media, you are destroying the state.”

He warned that the reckless dissemination of rumours and unverified information could endanger lives and worsen the fragile security atmosphere in affected communities.

“And sometimes you put on social media what you heard as a rumour. You dont know the lives you put in danger sometimes with what you put on social media. We need to be careful,” he added.

Mutfwang further alleged that there were deliberate efforts by certain actors to portray Plateau negatively before the international community through exaggerated and misleading narratives.

“There is a deliberate plan to demarket Plateau State and to tell the world that Plateau state is not anywhere that anyone should visit,” the governor said.

“But let me reassure Nigerians and the world that Plateau State remain the home of peace and tourism nobody will take that from us.”said the Governor.

According to the activist’s dramatic narration, heavily armed “Fulani jihadists” surrounded a burial ground, opened fire from nearby hills with sophisticated rifles and sniper weapons, and forced terrified mourners to flee while abandoning corpses in shallow graves.

The scene was presented to international audiences as evidence of an ongoing Islamic terrorist extermination campaign against Christians in Plateau State and Nigeria.

Yet after all the cinematic shouting, breathless commentary and social media outrage, one stubborn problem refused to disappear:
Nobody died, nobody was injured, no hospital treated victims, no corpse emerged from the supposed attack, no security report confirmed casualties, no family identified anybody allegedly shot during the incident. Which raises a very uncomfortable question for the propagandists:

What exactly were the “snipers” shooting at?
Because for an alleged coordinated jihadist ambush involving sophisticated weapons against a crowded funeral gathering, the complete absence of casualties is not merely suspicious, it is devastating to the credibility of the entire narrative.

Even more remarkable was the extraordinary professionalism displayed by the supposed victim while “escaping.” Apparently, modern sniper attacks now allow enough time for stable camera angles, American accents and commentary while maintaining uninterrupted narration and carefully managed video framing.

At different points, the narrator claimed he ran two kilometres. Later, it became five kilometres. He was we was in the middle of God knows where when houses were clearly seeing behind him.

Yet somehow throughout the entire footage, there was no exhaustion, no panic, no disorientation, no visible trauma and not even the shaky breathing expected from somebody allegedly escaping death under sustained gunfire. He even took his time to mount his microphone to avoid background noises.

One almost expected background music and movie credits to appear. But perhaps the most embarrassing part of the production was hidden in plain sight inside the video itself.

While viewers were being told that heavily armed jihadists were actively attacking mourners, some women in the background were calmly walking around without panic. Others appeared unconcerned while some youths suddenly being prompted to run during portions of the recording.

Ironically, the only visible armed individuals in sections of the footage were local armed Berom youths. That small detail completely shattered the carefully packaged “helpless civilians under jihadist siege” narrative being exported to foreign audiences.

Governor Mutfwang’s intervention therefore matters because it represents something increasingly rare in today’s toxic information environment: An admission that propaganda itself has become part of Plateau’s security problem.

The Plateau crisis is already painful enough without staged documentaries pretending to be genocide evidence.

If peace is ever to return fully to Plateau, it will require honesty from all sides not scripted panic, selective outrage and propaganda disguised as activism.

Because eventually, reality catches up. And when even the governor says, “It is obvious that the video is fake,” the performance begins to collapse under its own weight.

“It Is Obvious the Video Is Fake” Gov. Mutfwang Dismisses Viral Plateau Burial Attack Video as Fake, Warns Against Rumour-Mongering

Security, Economic Pressures Mount in Mali as Tensions Rise Around Aguelhok and Anefis

By: Zagazola Makama

Growing uncertainty surrounding the security situation in northern Mali, particularly around Aguelhok and Anefis, is fueling concerns over mounting military, economic and humanitarian pressures facing the country.

Security sources say the situation around the two northern positions remains tense since the coordinated attacks launched on April 25, with reports indicating troop movements, defensive fortifications and increasing logistical difficulties for Malian forces and their Russian allies.

According to several local and security sources, two large military convoys made up of nearly 50 vehicles reportedly departed from Aguelhok toward Anefis and Gao. While a small number of vehicles later returned to Aguelhok, most of the convoy continued southward.

Despite the movements, Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) personnel and some Russian elements are believed to remain stationed in Aguelhok, where defensive preparations have reportedly intensified in recent days.

The digging of trenches, deployment of heavy weapons on elevated positions, reinforcement of security perimeters and the positioning of snipers were observed in strategic locations around the town.

Sources say the measures suggest preparation for a possible defensive confrontation rather than an imminent withdrawal.

The situation has generated speculation within security circles regarding the future of military operations in northern Mali, including whether authorities are considering broader counteroffensive operations toward Kidal or consolidating defensive positions amid growing operational pressure.

Additional questions have emerged following reports that new Russian personnel and military equipment arrived in Bamako earlier this month aboard a cargo aircraft from Libya.

However, sources note that logistical difficulties continue to undermine military operations in northern Mali.

Since the April 25 attacks, sources say supply routes toward Aguelhok have become increasingly insecure, complicating efforts to transport fuel, food, ammunition and reinforcements.

The security situation around Gao and along key transport corridors is also described as highly volatile, making troop movements and logistical support operations increasingly difficult.

Reports from Anefis on May 8 also indicated that another convoy of approximately 55 vehicles, including trucks, heavy weapons and motorcycles, moved southward from the area.

Some sources believe the movements involve a gradual repositioning of Russian Africa Corps contingents from advanced northern positions, while Malian troops continue holding strategic bases.

The developments come as economic pressures intensify in the capital and other urban areas.

Residents and traders in Bamako have reported sharp increases in the prices of food products, fuel and essential commodities amid supply disruptions and insecurity affecting transport routes.

Market prices for rice, millet, sugar, onions, tomatoes, cooking oil, potatoes and meat have risen significantly in recent weeks, according to traders and consumers.

Some residents say worsening shortages and inflation are placing growing pressure on households already affected by years of insecurity and economic hardship.

Fuel scarcity has also become a growing concern, with transport costs and generator expenses increasing for businesses and families.

Meanwhile, insecurity continues to spread in central regions of the country.

Local and security sources reported that suspected fighters linked to Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) ambushed a convoy of Malian soldiers and Russian personnel near Bélèwèrè in the Niono area on May 8.

The provisional toll, according to local reports, included multiple casualties, destroyed vehicles and the seizure of weapons and ammunition by the attackers.

The incident has renewed concerns over the vulnerability of military supply routes and convoy operations across Mali.

Tensions are also reportedly rising along the Mali-Niger border, where local sources said additional Nigerien military personnel recently arrived in Labzanga to reinforce security positions near Ayorou.

Security sources say the developments reflect broader fears of expanding instability along the Mali-Niger corridor as armed groups continue to exploit weakly controlled border areas.

While Malian authorities continue to maintain that the situation remains under control, sources warn that the combination of mounting insecurity, logistical strain, economic pressure and rising public anxiety is creating an increasingly fragile environment across the country.

Security, Economic Pressures Mount in Mali as Tensions Rise Around Aguelhok and Anefis