Gunmen retaliate after rustling of 102 cows, kill one, injure two in Barkin Ladi in Plateau

By: Zagazola Makama

One person was killed and two others injured when gunmen attacked Kasuwa Denkeli village in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State in the early hours of Saturday, in a retaliatory strike linked to the recent rustling of 102 cows in neighbouring Riyom LGA.

The attack, which occurred at about 2:30 a.m., came days after armed men drove away 102 cows from Dan Sokoto, Ganawuri District of Riyom LGA, heightening tensions across the Barkin Ladi–Riyom–Jos South axis.

Residents of Kasuwa Denkeli told Zagazola Makama that the assailants stormed the community and opened fire on houses, leaving one person dead on the spot and two others with gunshot injuries. The injured were evacuated to the Jos University Teaching Hospital for medical attention, while the body of the deceased was deposited at the General Hospital morgue in Barkin Ladi for autopsy.

Police sources who confirmed the incident said “On receipt of a distress call, a team led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Barkin Medical immediately moved to the scene.

He added that the two injured victims were rushed to the Jos University Teaching Hospital for medical attention, while the corpse of the deceased was deposited at the General Hospital morgue in Barkin Ladi for autopsy.

According to the police , investigation into the incident has commenced, and efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest the perpetrators, while they urged residents to remain calm and continue to cooperate with security agencies by providing timely and useful information that could lead to the arrest of those responsible.

Zagazola report that Saturday’s incident is the latest in a chain of incidents that began on Wednesday, Jan. 14, when no fewer than 102 cows were rustled at about 11:00 a.m. in Dan Sokoto, Ganawuri District of Riyom LGA. Local sources said the attackers, identified by witnesses as Berom militia from the Vom District in Jos South LGA, stormed the area and drove away the cattle at gunpoint.

The cattle reportedly belong to Alhaji Nalado of Gargari, around Tashan Nashanan, and Malam Ango of Sabon Kaura, around Kudadu, both in Jos East LGA, although the animals were taken from Ganawuri in Riyom LGA.

Witnesses said the attackers were heavily armed, forcing herders to flee for their lives. As of the time of this report, none of the cattle had been recovered, despite security alerts. Residents also alleged that areas such as Vwang in Jos South and parts of Fan District in Barkin Ladi LGA are increasingly seen as “no-go” zones where rustled cattle are kept, complicating recovery efforts.

The Ganawuri rustling was not an isolated incident. It followed a series of attacks on livestock across Plateau State this month. At least seven cows were poisoned in Kwi village in Riyom LGA, while three others were shot dead around Kuru Gadabiyu in Barkin Ladi LGA near the Bicichi axis. Each incidents had deepens mistrust and raises the risk of reprisals in flashpoints already on edge.

The pattern of escalation has been consistent. On Jan. 6, coordinated attacks on Jol community in Riyom LGA and Gero in Gyel District of Jos South LGA left three people dead. The violence followed the shooting of two Fulani youths earlier that day in Jos South, one of whom later died. Witnesses described the ambush as unprovoked, triggering swift retaliation and counter-retaliation.

December 2025 also saw a surge in incidents. On Dec. 12, more than 130 cattle were reportedly rustled in Nding community. Around the same period, livestock poisoning was recorded in parts of Jos East and Riyom LGAs. These were followed by deadly clashes, including the killing of four children in Dorong village, Barkin Ladi LGA, and attacks on Gero village that resulted in deaths, injuries and loss of livestock.

On Dec. 16, 2025, an attack on an illegal mining site in Tosho community, Barkin Ladi LGA, left 12 miners dead and others abducted, with security sources linking the violence to earlier rustling of 171 castles belonging to the Fulani. In Plateau State, attacks on livestock often act as a spark that ignites wider communal violence.

For pastoral families, cattle are not just animals; they are livelihoods, savings and identity. When herds are stolen, poisoned or shot, families are pushed into desperation. Emotions escalate quickly, and reprisals follow.

Zagazola has repeatedly warned that unless attacks in across Barkin Ladi, Riyom and Jos South LGAs, on both lives and livelihoods are addressed impartially, the state risks remaining trapped in a cycle where each attacks becomes justification for the next

Gunmen retaliate after rustling of 102 cows, kill one, injure two in Barkin Ladi in Plateau