Plateau communities on high alert as fresh cattle killings escalate in Riyom LGA

By: Zagazola Makama

Pastoralists in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State are on edge following a fresh wave of unprovoked attacks on livestock that threaten livelihoods and heighten tensions between residents and herders.

According to a statement issued by Abdullahi Yusuf, a Fulani community representative in Riyom, on Feb. 2, 2026, one cow was shot dead at Weren Camp, while three other cows were poisoned in Kwi Village during the afternoon hours.

Preliminary reports indicate that the poisoned cattle ingested toxic substances deliberately hidden inside oranges placed in grazing areas, a method that experts describe as “malicious and targeted.”

Yusuf condemned the attacks as “criminal, unacceptable, and a serious threat to peaceful coexistence” among pastoral communities in Riyom.

He called on relevant security agencies to investigate the incidents, identify the perpetrators, and bring them to justice. The community representative also appealed to the Plateau State Government to adopt proactive measures to prevent further occurrences and protect lives, property, and livestock in the affected areas.

“This latest incident in Kwi Village is not isolated. The community is now becoming notorious for cattle poisoning, with repeated attacks undermining the safety of pastoralists and their families,” the statement noted.

The incidents forms part of a pattern of escalating violence across Plateau, with armed ethnic militias and bandits increasingly targeting both human and animal assets.

A notable flashpoint occurred on Dec. 27, 2025, when five Fulani youths traveling along Bukuru Express Road near Angle D, Jos South LGA, were ambushed by armed militia elements assessed to be Berom. The victims, returning from Kara Cattle Market, sustained critical gunshot injuries and were rushed to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for emergency medical attention.

Other documented incidents in recent months include: Dec. 12, 2025: Armed elements attacked Nding Community, Fan District, Barkin Ladi LGA, rustling approximately 137 cattle belonging to three herders. Dec. 13, 2025: Cattle rustling in Kukukah Community, Jos East LGA, resulted in the theft of 34 cows. Less than 24 hours later, nine cows reportedly died after ingesting poisonous substances in Kwi Village, Riyom LGA.

Dec. 16, 2025: Armed Fulani bandits attacked an illegal mining site at Tosho Community, Fan District, Barkin Ladi LGA, allegedly to recover stolen cattle. The attack left twelve people dead, three abducted, and several injured.
Dec. 18–19, 2025: Retaliatory attacks followed, including the killing of four children at Dorong Village, Foron District, Barkin Ladi LGA, and further livestock killings in Gero Village, Jos South LGA.

Zagazola has repeatedly warned that these attacks represent a “predictable escalation cycle,” in which cattle rustling, livestock poisoning, and attacks on pastoral settlements precipitate retaliatory strikes against unrelated civilian targets.

Security sources in Plateau State confirmed that the shootings and poisoning incidents are part of a growing pattern of violence targeting pastoral communities to chased them out of Plateau state but the attacks have rather only contributed to an escalating cycle of reprisal violence, including retaliatory raids and clashes between herders and local communities.

“The deliberate attacks on livestock and civilians show a coordinated effort to destabilize Plateau communities and failure to decisively address these threats risks normalizing violence, increasing civilian casualties, and entrenching Plateau state armed militias as de facto security actors.”

Zagazola have documented the escalating violence across Plateau but the plateau state governments have largely been “looking the other way,” allowing reprisal cycles to continue unabated. The repeated attacks and retaliations draw attention to the urgent need for a robust and coordinated response to protect lives, livelihoods, and the fragile peace within Plateau State.

We therefore called for urgent joint security measures, including sustained patrols, intelligence-led interdiction of militia cells, and decisive disruption of cattle rustling and poisoning networks to prevent further deterioration of the security situation in Plateau state.

Plateau communities on high alert as fresh cattle killings escalate in Riyom LGA