Tension has risen in parts of Plateau State following the alleged killing of a 13-year-old herder, Abubakar Sadi, in Dakun community, Riyom Local Council, amid heightened security operations to prevent clashes between farming and herding communities.
The teenager was reportedly grazing in the area between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday when he was allegedly shot dead.
Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Riyom, Bello Adamu, confirmed the incident, while a community leader, Ibrahim Chiroma, said the killing occurred as local leaders were holding a peace meeting with the youth leader of Jol.
Chiroma said the meeting was interrupted by gunshots, prompting participants to move towards the scene, where they allegedly found security personnel dispersing herders.
“As we approached the scene, we met DSS personnel dispersing herders who were grazing. We called their commander after recovering the corpse, but they denied involvement in the killing,” he said.
He appealed to the government to investigate the incident and compensate the victim’s family.
A brother of the deceased, Sanusi Auwal, also alleged that security personnel were responsible for the killing, describing the incident as unjust.
“My brother was just 13 years old. He went out for peaceful grazing without any provocation or farm destruction, and they killed him,” he said.
Auwal appealed to the state and Federal Governments to intervene, saying security personnel had a responsibility to protect the lives of all Nigerians.
However, when contacted, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the spokesperson for Operation Enduring Peace denied knowledge of the incident and said they would investigate the allegation.
The incident came amid renewed efforts by security agencies to contain violence in Plateau communities, with soldiers, DSS operatives and mobile policemen deployed to the Riyom area following repeated clashes between farmers and herders.
Meanwhile, the Plateau State Police Command has arrested a suspected mastermind of the deadly attack on Bin-Per community in Mangu Local Government Area of the state.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday in Kombun District, reportedly claimed the lives of 25 people, while four others sustained injuries.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Alfred Alabo, confirmed the arrest yesterday, saying the suspect in custody was believed to have masterminded the attack.
Alabo said investigations were ongoing, while security operatives had launched a manhunt for other suspects who fled the scene.
Residents said the heavily armed attackers moved from house to house, forcing their way into homes and attacking people who were asleep.
The victims were later given a mass burial, while women from the community staged a peaceful protest to condemn the killings and demand urgent government action to protect residents from further attacks.
The incident triggered widespread outrage, with residents, community leaders and other stakeholders calling for stronger security measures to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities across Mangu.
During the protest, the women demanded improved security and an end to the recurring violence in the area.
The Commissioner of Police, Ayodeji Faniyan, visited the community for an on-the-spot assessment, where he met traditional council elders, the local government chairman and residents.
According to Alabo, Faniyan commiserated with the community and assured residents that the command would identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the attack.
The commissioner also conveyed the condolences of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, who condemned the attack and assured the community that the Nigeria Police Force would take necessary measures to prevent further violence.
The police urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information that could assist in apprehending the fleeing suspects and preventing further attacks.
