At least seven cows have been poisoned in Riyom Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State, while three others were shot dead in Barkin Ladi LGA, in what security sources describe as fresh attacks on the economic lifeline of pastoral communities in the state.
Sources told Akelicious that the poisoning occurred around Kwi village in Riyom LGA, while the shooting of cattle was recorded around Kuru Gadabiyu in Barkin Ladi LGA, near the Bicichi axis.
The attacks were attributed by local sources to suspected Berom militia elements, amid a cycle of violence and reprisals that has continued to grip Plateau State in recent weeks.
The destruction of livestock has further heightened tensions in already volatile flashpoints across the state. Attacks on cattle — the primary source of livelihood for herders — are widely viewed as serious provocations with grave security implications, often triggering swift retaliatory violence and escalating local disputes into broader communal clashes.
The latest incidents come against the backdrop of recent killings in parts of the state. On January 6, three persons were killed during coordinated attacks on Jol community in Riyom LGA and Gero village in Gyel District of Jos South LGA.
Security sources said the violence followed the shooting of two Fulani youths earlier the same day in Jos South. The youths, identified as Zakariya Abdullahi and Jibrin Musa, were reportedly ambushed around 8:00 p.m. while returning from Gero village. Abdullahi was killed on the spot, while Musa sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to hospital.
Witnesses described the attack as unprovoked and attributed it to suspected militia elements. The killing sparked retaliatory attacks in neighbouring communities, reinforcing a familiar pattern in Plateau State, where violence against one group is often followed by reprisals against another.
In the aftermath, the Berom Youths Moulder-Association (BYM) condemned the killings in Jol and Gero, describing them as sustained attacks on indigenous communities. The group also renewed calls for the proscription of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).
However, security assessments indicate that public narratives surrounding such incidents frequently omit triggering events, particularly attacks on individuals or livelihoods that precede retaliatory violence. Analysts warn that this selective framing further entrenches mistrust, deepens polarisation, and complicates peace efforts.
The poisoning and shooting of cattle are part of a broader pattern of attacks on livestock across Plateau State. On December 12, 2025, over 130 cattle were reportedly rustled in Nding community, while multiple cases of livestock poisoning were recorded in parts of Jos East and Riyom LGAs.
Those incidents were followed by deadly clashes, including the killing of four children in Dorong village, Barkin Ladi LGA, and attacks on Gero village that resulted in deaths, injuries, and loss of livestock.
Similarly, the December 16, 2025, attack on an illegal mining site in Tosho community, Barkin Ladi LGA, where 12 miners were killed and others abducted, was linked by security sources to earlier cases of cattle rustling and destruction of farmlands.
