Fresh tension has gripped communities in Plateau State following a deadly attack that claimed the life of a herder and led to the brutal slaughter of over 100 cattle in Jos South and Riyom Local Government Areas. The coordinated assault, which reportedly unfolded between Tuesday evening and the early hours of Wednesday, marks yet another violent episode in the region’s long-running cycle of clashes between farming communities and pastoralists.
Eyewitness accounts and local sources confirm that the assailants launched simultaneous strikes on herders’ settlements, leaving behind a trail of destruction. The victim, a young herder whose identity is yet to be officially disclosed, was reportedly ambushed and killed during the attack, while scores of cattle were either butchered or stolen. The attackers are suspected to be part of armed groups exploiting the tensions in the area to unleash violence on vulnerable rural communities.
KIIN360 gathered that the killings occurred in areas that have historically served as flashpoints for violent clashes, particularly along the volatile boundaries of Jos South and Riyom LGAs. Security operatives have since been deployed to restore calm, although residents say fear and uncertainty still loom large across the affected villages.
Local vigilantes and community leaders have condemned the incident, calling for urgent government intervention to forestall a potential reprisal and wider breakdown of peace. Many herder communities have expressed outrage over what they described as targeted assaults, urging security agencies to fish out the perpetrators and ensure justice is served.
Plateau State, often regarded as a microcosm of Nigeria’s ethno-religious diversity, has been a hotspot for recurrent violence largely driven by land disputes, resource competition, and communal mistrust between indigenous farming groups and Fulani herders. In recent years, peace efforts have seen moderate success, but attacks such as this risk reversing hard-won gains and fuelling fresh unrest.
While the Plateau State Police Command is yet to release an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report, security sources confirmed that investigations are ongoing and patrols have been intensified in the affected areas.
As the nation grapples with rising insecurity, stakeholders are once again calling for a sustainable solution to the farmer-herder crisis, one that balances justice, security, and mutual coexistence in communities that have lived side by side for generations.
