Farmer killed by Fulani bandits in fresh Plateau attack as cycle of violence deepens

By Zagazola Makama

A farmer has been killed in a fresh attack by yet-to-be-identified gunmen in Butura Gida village, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, in the latest incident pointing to the persistent cycle of violence between farming and herding communities.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred at about 7:47 p.m. on Tuesday, July 8, prompting troops of Sector 5 of Operation Enduring peace to mobilise to the community after receiving a distress call.

On arrival, the troops found the victim’s lifeless body. The attackers had fled the scene before security personnel arrived, and no contact was made.

A manhunt has since been launched to identify and apprehend those responsible for the killing.

The latest incident came less than 24 hours after a 13-year-old herder, Mustapha Abdul Kadir, was found dead alongside four cattle in Mangu Local Government Area in what authorities suspected was an attack by armed militia.

Earlier the same day, two residents were also killed in Torok community in Riyom Local Government Area in an attack blamed on suspected Fulani bandits.

The succession of attacks illustrates the entrenched and increasingly vicious pattern of retaliatory violence that has continued to plague Plateau State.

Killings of farmers are often followed by attacks on herders, while attacks on herders frequently trigger reprisals against farming communities, creating a dangerous cycle that has claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed livelihoods over the years.

Despite sustained military deployments, peace meetings and community engagements, mistrust between the two groups remains deep, with criminal elements exploiting the fragile security situation to perpetrate violence.

Zagazola warn that unless perpetrators on all sides are brought to justice and local grievances addressed, the state risks remaining trapped in an endless cycle of revenge attacks.

Farmer killed by Fulani bandits in fresh Plateau attack as cycle of violence deepens

Fulani bandits kill two in fresh attack on Plateau community

By Zagazola Makama

Suspected Fulani bandits have killed two residents in a fresh attack on Torok community in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, security sources told Zagazola Makama.

The attack occurred at about 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 8, prompting troops of Sector 6 of Operation Enduring Peace to swiftly respond after receiving a distress report.

Sources said the assailants attacked unsuspecting locals before fleeing the area.

On arrival, troops discovered the bodies of two victims who had been killed during the assault. The remains were recovered and subsequently handed over to members of the community for burial.

Security sources said troops have launched a manhunt for the attackers, with efforts ongoing to track and apprehend those responsible for the killings.

The latest incident adds to the renewed wave of violence in Plateau State, particularly in Riyom and neighbouring local government areas, where recurring attacks and reprisals involving armed groups have continued to claim lives and heighten tensions despite sustained security operations. Troops have intensified patrols and confidence-building engagements to forestall further attacks and maintain peace in the area.

Fulani bandits kill two in fresh attack on Plateau community

Missing herder, four livestock killed by suspected militia elements in Mangu, Plateau

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have recovered the body of a 13-year-old herder who was declared missing after he went out to graze cattle in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, with four livestock also found dead in what military authorities suspect was an attack by armed militia.

Sources said the victim, identified as Mustapha Abdul Kadir, left home on July 8 to graze cattle around the bushes near Gauge Village but failed to return, prompting concern among family members and the community.

According to the sources, troops of Sector 8, Sub-Sector 81, in conjunction with local security personnel and community members, launched a search-and-rescue operation in the area.

The operation led to the discovery of the teenager’s body on Thursday in a shallow well, alongside four dead cattle believed to have been killed during the attack.

The military said preliminary findings indicated that the victim was attacked by suspected militia while grazing the livestock before his body was dumped in the well.

The remains of the deceased were handed over to his family for burial in accordance with local customs.

The military said stakeholders in the community had been engaged to prevent any breakdown of law and order and to avert possible reprisal attacks.

It added that efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the perpetrators, while troops had intensified patrols across the Operation Enduring Peace Joint Operations Area to protect communities, schools and other critical national infrastructure.

The incident is the latest in a series of security challenges affecting parts of Mangu LGA, where attacks linked to armed groups have continued to threaten lives and livelihoods.

Security sources said community leaders and other stakeholders had been engaged to calm tensions and prevent reprisals, while efforts were underway to identify and arrest those responsible for the attack.

The killing comes amid persistent violence in parts of Plateau State, where recurring clashes involving farming and herding communities have claimed scores of lives and destroyed property over the years.

Attacks targeting either farmers or herders often trigger immediate retaliatory violence, reinforcing a cycle of reprisals that has remained one of the major drivers of insecurity in the state.

Missing herder, four livestock killed by suspected militia elements in Mangu, Plateau