1 killed, Fulani herdsman beaten to coma in clash

A clash between local residents and herdsmen in Kimakpa, Kwall district of Bassa local government area of Plateau State has led to the death of an unidentified person and the hospitalisation of another.

According to a report by TheCable, the clash happened on Monday, January 15, 2018 when residents allege that herdsmen attacked the community in the night.

The spokesperson of the Plateau Police Command, Tyopev Terna, reported that ongoing investigation has not yielded results yet.

He said, "We had an issue. There was an attack on four people: one was killed, another injured and receiving treatment and two escaped unhurt. Investigation is on, we wouldn't want to pinpoint anybody."

The chairman of Plateau State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Muhammad Abdullahi, said that a local militia had been the one that orchestrated the attack against herdsmen.

He said they had beaten a herder into the state of coma before proceeding to steal his cattle.

He said, "We are sad with the information reaching us from our branches in Bassa and Riyom local government areas that Irigwe youths militia armed with sophisticated weapon had on Monday 15th January 2018 attacked Fulani herdsmen around Gilda Ado village in Ganawuri district of Riyom LGA.

"The attackers beat a Fulani herder to a point of coma and fled with his cattle numbering 150. The report later got to security agencies who gave the cattle rustlers good chase. The security recovered some of the cows dead around Mai Yanga Village."

Abdullahi disclosed that the same militia had attacked another Fulani settlement in Dangwal village of Ganawuri, also on Monday, and stole 200 cows.

He warned that such attacks are capable of leading to major violence such as the one the country is currently embroiled in in Benue and Taraba.