Fulani Community Alleges Targeted Attacks by Militias in Nigeria’s Plateau State
The Fulani community in Riyom Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria, has issued a formal complaint alleging a campaign of targeted violence against its members and their livestock by ethnic militia groups.
In a statement released on Tuesday, community representative Abdullahi Yusuf accused militias, which he identified as “Berom Militias,” of orchestrating attacks to provoke Fulani herdsmen into retaliation. He described a concerning pattern where herders are traced to grazing areas, fired upon, and subsequently have their cattle stolen or poisoned.
The most recent incidents cited occurred on Monday, February 2nd. Yusuf alleged that in Weren Camp, gunmen opened fire on peacefully grazing herders and rustled an unspecified number of cows. Separately, three cattle were reported poisoned in the Kwi district of the LGA.
“Innocent Fulani herdsmen have become targets of ethnic militias… and no one is talking about these targeted attacks,” Yusuf stated. He emphasized that the poisoning of cattle, a primary livelihood, is a deliberate tactic to destabilize pastoral communities.
The community representative noted that previous advice to members to remain calm and rely on security agencies has been ignored, leading to a perceived normalization of violence. He warned that coordinated attacks on livestock and people risk entrenching militia groups as unchecked actors in the region.
Yusuf strongly condemned the acts as criminal and a threat to peaceful coexistence. He called on security agencies to urgently investigate the incidents, identify and prosecute the perpetrators. Additionally, he appealed to the Plateau State Government to implement proactive measures, including sustained patrols and intelligence operations, to dismantle cattle rustling and poisoning networks and protect lives and property in affected areas.
The allegations point to deepening ethnic tensions in Plateau State, a region with a long history of conflict between farming and pastoralist communities over land and resources. The Fulani community’s statement underscores fears that unresolved militia violence could escalate broader instability.
