Fresh violence in Plateau State has triggered renewed tension after two major community groups issued sharply conflicting accounts of deadly attacks that claimed at least six lives across Jos South and Riyom Local Government Areas on January 6, 2026.
In separate statements on Tuesday, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Plateau State chapter, and the Berom Youths Moulder-Association (BYM) accused each other of responsibility for the attacks, deepening mistrust in an already volatile region.
MACBAN, through its Plateau State Chairman, Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, alleged that suspected Berom attackers ambushed Fulani herders near the Gero community in Jos South at about 8 p.m. on Monday. The group said the victims were returning to their cattle settlement after shopping when they were followed and attacked.
According to MACBAN, one herder, Zakariya Abdullahi, was killed, while another, Jibrin Musa, sustained critical injuries. The association described the incident as part of a series of repeated attacks on Fulani herders in 2025 and appealed to security agencies to arrest those responsible. It also urged its members to remain calm and law-abiding.
However, the Berom Youths Moulder-Association strongly rejected MACBAN’s claims, calling them misleading. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, BYM alleged that armed Fulani militias carried out coordinated attacks in Gero and Jol communities.
BYM said three miners Markus Danladi (55), Peter (27), and Acham Ayuba (24) were shot dead at a mining site in Gero, Gyel District, at about 9:34 p.m., while a 65-year-old woman, Jumai Aba, was wounded by gunfire. Earlier that evening, the group said another attack in Jol, Riyom Local Government Area, claimed the life of 23-year-old Pius Luka Dida, a young father.
The association further alleged that one of the attackers was accidentally killed during the Gero operation and that MACBAN is now presenting the death as that of an innocent herder. BYM accused MACBAN of distorting facts and shielding violent elements, linking the attacks to what it described as long-standing land-grabbing campaigns in parts of Riyom.
Beyond the killings, BYM also claimed that armed herders destroyed dry-season farmlands in Kwi, with losses estimated at over ₦14 million. The group demanded the proscription of MACBAN, investigation of its leadership by Nigerian and international security agencies, compensation for victims’ families, and stronger protection for vulnerable communities.
MACBAN, however, maintains that its members are victims of targeted violence and insists it remains committed to peaceful coexistence.
As of press time, security agencies had yet to issue an official account reconciling the competing claims. Both groups say they have reported the incidents to the police, the DSS, and Operation Safe Haven.
The latest killings add to the long history of deadly clashes between farming and herding communities in Plateau State, with residents warning that unchecked misinformation and deepening mistrust could further inflame tensions unless authorities act decisively.
