Gunmen have reportedly killed three siblings in Nukur village, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, and stolen 150 cattle, according to residents and local officials.
State chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, confirmed the incident to journalists in Jos on Saturday.
According to Babayo, the trisection occurred on Thursday while the victims were grazing their corpses were found on Friday evening, aided by Operation Safe Haven personnel, who “swiftly responded to the scene after intense searching.”
Describing the tragedy, the MACBAN chairman said the victims were attacked “without provocation.” He accused members of the Berom ethnic group of carrying out the violence.
The father of the deceased, also named Ibrahim Yusuf, recounted how he learned of the killings:
“Yesterday, around 12 am, news came in that my children were attacked and killed. I quickly reported to security operatives, and we moved together to the scene of the incident. We discovered that all my children who were rearing the cattle were killed.”
He added: “The security operatives handed over the bodies, and we have buried all of them. The perpetrators also rustled 150 cattle although some were recovered from their houses. The attack was devastating.”
Meanwhile, the President of the Berom Youths Moulder‑Association (BYM), Barrister Dalyop Solomon, denied the group’s involvement, stating:
“We, however condemn any act of killing by whoever, but also call on security agents to speedily swing into investigation on the matter so as to unravel the perpetrators.”
He further urged security agencies to act, saying: “In the same vein, the Berom Youths Moulder‑Association is equally calling on Operation Safe Haven and other sister agencies to make deployment to the general area to avert a perceived armed invasion on the native by armed Fulani since, without any proof, they have allegedly reported that the Youths of Nukur are responsible for that said incident.”
When approached for comment about the attack, Major Samson Zhakom, spokesperson for Operation Safe Haven, did not respond to text messages as of the time of filing this report.
