.jpg)
JOS, PLATEAU STATE — By Prime Brief Media
The Plateau State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria has issued a strongly worded warning that Fulani herders will no longer tolerate the alleged poisoning and killing of their cattle by groups it referred to as "Berom militias." The statement, released on Wednesday, April 23, 2026, has heightened tensions in Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas, where recurring cycles of communal violence have claimed numerous lives and displaced thousands.
In the statement, MACBAN Chairman Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo condemned the alleged killing of nine cows on April 18 in the Rakum community of Barkin Ladi, describing the act as "senseless, unfortunate, and highly condemnable." According to the association, the affected herders were engaged in lawful and peaceful grazing activities when they were attacked by individuals described as local militia members.
"MACBAN views this incident as a deliberate provocation and a serious threat to peaceful coexistence among communities in Plateau State," Babayo stated. "The destruction of livelihood, particularly through the killing of livestock, is not only inhumane but also economically damaging to already vulnerable pastoral families."
The association called on security agencies to urgently investigate the incident, identify and apprehend the perpetrators, and ensure they are brought to justice without delay. Babayo also appealed to community leaders, youth groups, and stakeholders to exercise restraint and avoid retaliation, warning that "violence will only deepen mistrust and prolong the cycle of conflict."
"Let it be clearly stated that peaceful coexistence is the only sustainable path forward for all communities in the state," the MACBAN chairman added.
The warning, however, comes against a backdrop of escalating accusations and counter-accusations between pastoralist and farming communities in Plateau State. The Berom Youth Moulders Association had earlier issued a statement accusing MACBAN of attempting to shield a suspect arrested in connection with an April 5 attack on Pwomol village that left two people dead. BYM alleged that MACBAN was seeking to obtain a forged medical certificate claiming the suspect was mentally unstable, a charge MACBAN had not responded to as of the time of this briefing.
The exchange of hostile rhetoric between the two associations underscores the fragility of inter-communal relations across Plateau State. Barkin Ladi and Riyom have been flashpoints in the broader farmer-herder conflict that has plagued Nigeria's North-Central region for over two decades. While both sides have suffered significant losses, the destruction of livestock and the razing of farmlands have become particularly potent triggers for retaliatory violence.
Security analysts caution that MACBAN's declaration that it will "no longer tolerate" cattle killings could be interpreted as a signal of impending reprisals, regardless of the association's simultaneous call for restraint. The Plateau State Police Command and Operation Safe Haven, the special military task force maintaining peace in the state, are yet to issue official responses to MACBAN's statement.
Community leaders in Barkin Ladi and Riyom have privately expressed concern that the escalating war of words, combined with the absence of visible security interventions, could precipitate a new round of violence as the farming season intensifies.
#PlateauState #MACBAN #BarkinLadi #Riyom #CattlePoisoning #HerderFarmerConflict #PrimeBriefMedia