By Zagazola Makama
The ongoing crisis in Plateau State, Nigeria, exemplifies this pernicious dynamic: a protracted interplay of resource disputes, ethnic animosities, and institutional responses that has escalated since in the timeline of Nigerian history.
A familiar loop that has since October 2025 run into a series of targeted attacks on pastoralists, followed by inevitable reprisals.
This narrative, grounded in verified accounts from victims, families, security reports and exclusive research from zagazola.org weaves together the chronology of events as a continuous story of assault and retaliation, dissecting the patterns of reprisal while offering strategic insights derived from historical precedents in the region.
It is not merely a recounting of events but an intelligence assessment aimed at informing policymakers, security forces, and international observers of the risks of unchecked escalation, drawing exclusively from the detailed reports published on this platform.
The roots of this ceaseless strife in Plateau State trace back to deep-seated grievances over land, grazing rights, and resource access between the predominantly agrarian Berom communities and the nomadic Fulani pastoralists.
These tensions, exacerbated by climate-induced migrations, proliferation of small arms, and perceived governmental biases, have manifested in a pattern of unprovoked attacks followed by swift reprisals, creating a self-perpetuating cycle that erodes state authority and fosters militia proliferation.
Analyses on zagazola.org have consistently highlighted how such dynamics mirror those in the Lake Chad Basin, where insurgent groups like Boko Haram exploit communal divisions to expand influence.
In Plateau, the violence often begins with economic sabotage like rustling or poisoning of livestock, which strikes at the heart of Fulani livelihoods, prompting retaliatory strikes on Berom settlements or mining sites, which in turn invite counter-attacks.
This intelligence assessment will narrate the story chronologically, beginning from the documented incidents in October 2025 outlines key data for each phase, ensuring a structured yet fluid account that underscores the human cost and strategic implications.
October 2025: The Opening Strikes and Reprisals
The story commences in the early days of October 2025, when the fragile peace in Plateau’s Mangu area was shattered by a brazen ambush that set the tone for the escalating reprisals to follow. On October 8, 2025, armed men suspected to be members of a Berom militia intercepted a commercial vehicle along Mangu Road, near the NYSC orientation camp in Plateau State.
The attackers forced the passengers out and executed two Fulani women, Zainabu Sule and Hajara Musa, along with a young Fulani boy, Abdulrahman Adamu, in cold blood. This unprovoked assault, as detailed in my report “Again, Two Fulani Women Boy Killed in Fresh Attack by Berom Militia Along Mangu Road, Plateau” was part of a disturbing pattern of targeted killings against peaceful Fulani travelers. Community sources lamented that such incidents rarely attract condemnation or governmental response, unlike reprisals that dominate headlines. Security sources confirmed increased tension, warning of potential reprisals if perpetrators were not arrested.
A youth leader, speaking anonymously for safety, stated, “We have lost count of our people killed in unprovoked assaults. Sadly, the moment there is a reprisal, that is when the world takes notice.” The Plateau State Government and Police Command issued no official statement, a silence that intelligence assessments interpret as contributing to the cycle by fostering perceptions of bias.
This attack did not occur in isolation; it built upon prior incidents, such as the killing of Yusuf Abubakar on October 5, 2025, as mentioned in related reports like “Plateau MACBAN Denies Involvement in Barkin Ladi Attacks, Urges Probe into Killings of Herders“, where MACBAN highlighted uninvestigated murders of herders.
The Mangu Road killings ignited immediate fears of retaliation, and indeed, the response came swiftly. On October 15, 2025, suspected bandits, likely Fulani-aligned, launched deadly reprisals in Rachas and Rawuru villages of Barkin Ladi LGA, killing 13 people in overnight assaults. As reported in “Plateau:13 Die in Barkin Ladi After Deadly Reprisal by Bandits Over Killing of Three Fulani” this was direct retribution for the Mangu Road slayings.
Residents and leaders condemned the cycle, with Executive Chairman of Barkin Ladi LGA, Hon. Stephen Gyang Pwajok, calling it “unprovoked and deeply regrettable,” and District Head of Heipang, Da Paul Tadi-Tok, urging restrictions on herders and revival of Operation Rainbow.
Security Adviser Brig.-Gen. Shippi Gakji Goshwe (Rtd.) promised equipped recruits for protection. A Fulani community leader noted selective justice fueling anger. No specific victim names were listed in the report, but the attacks targeted Berom communities, highlighting the ethnic dimension.
| Date | Location / Village | Incident Type | Victims (Names where known) | Attackers / Actors | Details | Source Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 8, 2025 | Mangu Road near NYSC camp, Plateau State | Ambush and Killing | Zainabu Sule, Hajara Musa, Abdulrahman Adamu | Suspected Berom militia | Fulani women and boy executed in commercial vehicle; unprovoked assault | Link |
| October 15, 2025 | Rachas and Rawuru villages, Barkin Ladi LGA | Reprisal Killing | 13 unnamed victims (Berom communities) | Suspected Fulani-aligned bandits | Overnight assaults in reprisal for Mangu Road killings | Link |
November 2025: Livestock Sabotage and Immediate Counter-Attacks
The violence simmered but did not abate, spilling into November 2025 with another layer of reprisal that further entrenched the divide. On November 1, 2025, at least five persons were confirmed killed in a reprisal attack in Kwi community, Riyom LGA, after suspected Berom militias reportedly shot and slaughtered several cows belonging to Fulani herders.
As detailed in “Plateau: Five Killed in Kwi Community Reprisal After Attack on Cattle by Berom Militias” , the initial assault occurred around 4:45 p.m. on October 30, 2025, when armed youths from Kwi invaded grazing areas and opened fire on the livestock, killing over ten cows and injuring several others with gunshots and machetes. A source stated, “The attackers shot over ten cows and butchered some.” This economic sabotage triggered a counter-attack that night, claiming five lives. Troops from Operation Safe Haven and other security forces were deployed to restore calm, but residents fled in fear of escalation. Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs remain flashpoints, with the state government failing to contain the crises.
This incident echoed the broader pattern documented in my exclusive report “EXCLUSIVE: Fulani Leaders Fault Fact-Finding as Report Uncovers Two Decades of Unprovoked Attacks on Fulani Settlements Across Plateau“, where MACBAN accused the Plateau State High-Powered Fact-Finding Committee of bias for excluding Fulani victims.
The report lists historical attacks, such as in June 2012 in Foron District, Barkin Ladi LGA, where 23 Fulani herders, including women and children, were killed in reprisal raids. In Mangu LGA, from 2023-2025, 263 Fulani were killed, including Mallam Bello Ibrahim, Aisha Adamu, Halima Musa, Musa Danladi, Shehu Umar, Ali Haruna, and two unidentified children in May 2023 in Murish District; Alhaji Haruna Ali, Saidu Bello, Hassana Umar, Adamu Dogo, Maryam Isa in July 2023 in Kombun and Pushit; and 15 including Umar Danjuma, Rakiya Bello in February 2024 in Ampang West.
In Bokkos LGA, 78 killed, including Alhaji Sule Dan Malam, Umaru Musa, Hauwa Haruna in January 2019 in Kwatas; Musa Adamu, Rabi Bala, Isah Garba, Sani Ibrahim in July 2023 in Mangor District. Bassa LGA saw over 120 killed, like Mallam Yakubu Haruna and two sons in September 2017 in Nkyie Dong; Abubakar Sule, Yakubu Haruna, Aliyu Ibrahim, Fatima Umar in June 2021 in Maiyanga. Riyom LGA: 94 killed, including Malam Umar Gidado, Zainab Musa, Aliyu Bello in August 2015 in Shonong District. Barkin Ladi LGA: Over 110 killed, like 23 herders in June 2012 in Foron District. A displaced herder quoted: “The Plateau conflict has lasted for more than two decades. True peace will come only when justice is done to every group, including the Fulani.”
| Date | Location / Village | Incident Type | Victims (Names where known) | Attackers / Actors | Details | Source Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 30, 2025 | Kwi community, Riyom LGA | Livestock Attack | Over 10 cows killed, several injured | Armed youths from Kwi (Berom militias) | Gunfire on grazing areas; cows shot and butchered | Link |
| November 1, 2025 | Kwi community, Riyom LGA | Reprisal Killing | 5 unnamed persons | Counter-attackers (implied Fulani reprisal) | Night counter-attack after livestock assault | Link |
December 2025: Escalation Through Rustling and Lethal Reprisals
As November gave way to December, the narrative of violence intensified, with the economic targeting of Fulani livelihoods serving as the catalyst for more lethal exchanges. On December 1, 2025, in Tenti village, Bokkos LGA, a young Fulani man named Yakubu Salisu was killed in a violent farmland incident, stabbed multiple times in the back by locals from Bokkos, including a farmer named Josiah Joshua, who claimed herders had invaded his land. In a separate but related event the same day, six cows were poisoned in Kwi village, Riyom LGA, with no provocation. “Young Fulani Man Killed, Six Cows Poisoned in Separate Farmland Incidents in Plateau State” .
Veterinary assessments confirmed deliberate malice, and authorities initiated investigations, but the incidents underscored emerging tensions, much like the November Kwi attack where over ten cows were shot and butchered by Berom youths.
The escalation accelerated mid-December, with large-scale rustling becoming the dominant tactic. On December 12, 2025, approximately 137 cattle were rustled in Nding community, Fan District, Barkin Ladi LGA, belonging to herders Alhaji Wada Sale, Abdullahi Yusuf, and Alhaji Talba Abubakar, by heavily armed groups operating from forested terrain. The next day, December 13, 34 cows were stolen in Kukukah community, Jos East LGA, and nine died from poisoning in Kwi village, Riyom LGA, with toxins hidden in oranges. These events, as analyzed in “How Killing of 12 Illegal Miners in Barkin Ladi Linked to Rustling of 171 Livestock in Plateau” , indicated coordinated efforts to target pastoral economies, avoiding direct confrontation while maximizing damage.
Reprisals were immediate. On December 15, 2025, suspected Berom militias stormed Gero village, Jos South LGA, shooting dead 10 livestock and injuring 12, as reported in “10 Livestock Shot Dead, 12 Injured in Attack on Fulani in Gero Village as Another Reprisal in Plateau Deepens” A community leader said, “The attack at Gero is not an isolated incident. Similar cases have been happening quietly.” This came amid over 160 cattle rustled across Barkin Ladi and Jos East, heightening fears.
The peak came on December 16, 2025, when armed Fulani bandits raided an illegal mining site in Tosho community, Fan District, Barkin Ladi LGA, killing 12 miners, abducting three, and injuring others to recover the 171 rustled cattle from Nding and Bakin Kogi. Security sources linked it to the thefts, illustrating how economic sabotage triggers armed raids.
Between December 18 and 19, 2025, retaliatory strikes occurred in Dorong village, Foron District, Barkin Ladi LGA, where four children, Precious Joshuah (17), Isa’ac Joshuah (9), Mary Joshuah (7), and Eve Sambo (3) were killed, and additional livestock targeted in Gero village, Jos South LGA. These were direct responses to the rustlings and poisonings, with victims including minors, amplifying the humanitarian toll, as noted in network mirrors. read more
The month ended with an ambush on December 27, 2025, along Bukuru Express Road near Angle D in Jos South LGA, where five Fulani youths Abubakar Aji, Idi Saleh, Sulaiman, Nura Muhammad Detta, and Dabo Abubakar were shot while returning from Kara Cattle Market, sustaining critical gunshot wounds. They were evacuated to Jos University Teaching Hospital. This attack was linked to prior rustlings, including the December 12 incident in Nding, and was seen as symbolic of efforts to displace pastoralists, as per “Five Fulanis Shot by Suspected Berom Militias in Plateau”. Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf, Plateau State MACBAN chairman, condemned it as “senseless and criminal,” calling for investigations.
| Date | Location / Village | Incident Type | Victims (Names where known) | Attackers / Actors | Details | Source Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 1, 2025 | Tenti village, Bokkos LGA & Kwi village, Riyom LGA | Killing & Poisoning | Yakubu Salisu; 6 cows | Locals from Bokkos (Josiah Joshua) | Stabbing in farmland; toxins in grazing areas | Link |
| December 12, 2025 | Nding community, Fan District, Barkin Ladi LGA | Rustling | 137 cattle (owners: Alhaji Wada Sale, Abdullahi Yusuf, Alhaji Talba Abubakar) | Heavily armed groups | Forest terrain evasion | Link |
| December 13, 2025 | Kukukah community, Jos East LGA & Kwi village, Riyom LGA | Rustling & Poisoning | 34 cows; 9 poisoned | Armed elements | Toxins in oranges | Link |
| December 15, 2025 | Gero village, Jos South LGA | Livestock Attack | 10 livestock killed, 12 injured | Berom militias | Stormed grazing areas | Link |
| December 16, 2025 | Tosho community, Fan District, Barkin Ladi LGA | Reprisal Raid | 12 miners killed, 3 abducted | Armed Fulani bandits | Recovery of 171 rustled cattle | Link |
| December 18-19, 2025 | Dorong village, Foron District, Barkin Ladi LGA & Gero village, Jos South LGA | Reprisal | Precious Joshuah (17), Isa’ac Joshuah (9), Mary Joshuah (7), Eve Sambo (3); additional livestock | Fulani reprisal | Response to rustlings and poisonings | Link |
| December 27, 2025 | Bukuru Express Road near Angle D, Jos South LGA | Ambush | Abubakar Aji, Idi Saleh, Sulaiman, Nura Muhammad Detta, Dabo Abubakar (injured) | Suspected Berom militias | Shot while returning from Kara Market | Link |
January 2026: Nocturnal Raids, Youth Ambushes, and Mining Site Massacres
The new year brought no respite, with January 2026 witnessing a continuation of the vicious cycle. Late on December 31, 2025 (reported as January 1, 2026), at least seven farmers were killed in a night raid on Bum community, Chugwi area of Vwang District, Jos South LGA, framed as reprisal for the December 27 shooting of the five Fulani youths and prior livestock losses, as per “Seven Farmers Killed in Plateau Attack as Reprisal Cycle Deepens“. The attackers struck homes and farmlands, despite security alerts.
On January 7, 2026, two Fulani youths, Zakariya Abdullahi and Jibrin Musa, were ambushed in Jos South LGA while returning from Gero village around 8:00 p.m. Zakariya Abdullahi was killed on the spot, Jibrin Musa injured and hospitalized. This unprovoked attack by suspected Berom militia triggered immediate reprisals, with bandits killing three people in Jol community, Riyom LGA, and Gero in Gyel District, Jos South LGA: Pius Luka Dida, Markus Danladi, Peter, and Acham Ayuba. As documented in “Fulani Youths Shot by Suspected Berom Militia in Jos South in Latest Unprovoked Attack in Plateau” and “Bandits Kill 3 in Reprisal to Shooting of Fulani Youths by Berom Militia in Plateau” , this fit the pattern of pastoral and farming communities alternately targeted.
Livestock attacks persisted on January 11, 2026, with seven cows poisoned in Kwi village, Riyom LGA, and three shot dead in Kuru Gadabiyu, Barkin Ladi LGA, near the Bicichi axis, attributed to Berom militia, as in “Seven Cows Poisoned, Three Shot Dead as Attacks on Herders’ Livelihoods Heighten in Plateau” . This economic sabotage aggravated tensions.
Mid-January saw further rustling on January 14, 2026, when 102 cows were stolen in Dan Sokoto, Ganawuri District, Riyom LGA, by suspected Berom militia from Vom District, Jos South LGA. The owners were Alhaji Nalado of Gargari (around Tashan Nashanan) and Malam Ango of Sabon Kaura (around Kudadu), both in Jos East LGA. As reported in “Berom Militia Rustled 102 Cows in Riyom in Sustained Unprovoked Attacks on Fulani Livelihood” , the attackers wielded sophisticated weapons, forcing herders to flee. No recovery, with cattle held in no-go zones like Vwang and Fan District.
This prompted reprisals on January 18, 2026, in Kasuwa Denkeli village, Barkin Ladi LGA, where gunmen killed one and injured two at 2:30 a.m., as per “Gunmen Retaliate After Rustling of 102 Cows, Kill One, Injure Two in Barkin Ladi in Plateau” . Police led by the DPO responded, but the boldness indicated eroding deterrence.
The cycle culminated on January 23, 2026, with seven youths killed at Gakok mining site near Kavitex, Kuru community, Jos South LGA: Dung Gyang (19), Weng Dung (26), Francis Paul (25), Samuel Peter (22), Dung Simon (28), Pam Dung (23), and Francis Markus (15).
This reprisal for the 102-cow rustling occurred at 2:00 a.m., with troops from Sector 6 Operation Safe Haven recovering 10 spent 7.62mm ammunition. Authorities blamed night mining bans violated, as in “Seven Youths Killed at Mining Site in Jos South, in Retaliation of 102 Livestock Theft” and “Plateau Authorities Confirm Killing of Seven Youths at Illegal Mining Site in Jos South, Blame Night Operations“. The Plateau Youth Council secretary-general, Comr. Gyang Sunday Pwajok, condemned it as “gruesome,” demanding regulation.
On January 25, 2026, troops thwarted a bandit attack in Kedeshi, Qua’an Pan LGA, recovering an AK-47, preventing escalation, as per “Army Troops Thwarted Attack by Bandits in Qua’an Pan, Plateau, Recover AK-47 After Gun Battle“.
| Date | Location / Village | Incident Type | Victims (Names where known) | Attackers / Actors | Details | Source Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | Bum community, Chugwi, Vwang District, Jos South LGA | Reprisal Killing | 7 unnamed farmers | Attackers (reprisal for Dec 27) | Nocturnal raid on homes and farmlands | Link |
| January 7, 2026 | Jos South LGA; Jol, Riyom LGA & Gero, Gyel District | Ambush & Reprisal | Zakariya Abdullahi (killed), Jibrin Musa (injured); Pius Luka Dida, Markus Danladi, Peter, Acham Ayuba (killed in reprisal) | Suspected Berom militia (ambush); bandits (reprisal) | Ambush at 8:00 p.m.; coordinated reprisals | Link 1 & Link 2 |
| January 11, 2026 | Kwi village, Riyom LGA & Kuru Gadabiyu, Barkin Ladi LGA (Bicichi axis) | Poisoning & Shooting | 7 cows poisoned, 3 shot dead | Berom militia | Economic sabotage amid reprisals | Link |
| January 14, 2026 | Dan Sokoto, Ganawuri District, Riyom LGA | Rustling | 102 cows (owners: Alhaji Nalado of Gargari, Malam Ango of Sabon Kaura) | Berom militia from Vom District, Jos South LGA | Daylight storming; herders fled | Link |
| January 18, 2026 | Kasuwa Denkeli village, Barkin Ladi LGA | Reprisal | 1 unnamed killed, 2 injured | Gunmen (reprisal for 102 cows) | 2:30 a.m. assault; victims to JUTH | Link |
| January 23, 2026 | Gakok mining site near Kavitex, Kuru, Jos South LGA | Reprisal Raid | Dung Gyang (19), Weng Dung (26), Francis Paul (25), Samuel Peter (22), Dung Simon (28), Pam Dung (23), Francis Markus (15) | Armed men (suspected herdsmen) | 2:00 a.m. shooting; 10 spent ammo recovered | Link 1 & Link 2 |
| January 25, 2026 | Kedeshi, Qua’an Pan LGA | Thwarted Attack | No casualties | Bandits | Troops engaged, AK-47 recovered | Link |
February 2026: Persistent Sabotage and Attacks on Security Forces
February 2026 witnessed the persistence of this grim narrative, with fresh incidents underscoring the failure of deterrence. On February 2, 2026, one cow was shot dead in Weren Camp and three poisoned in Kwi Village, Riyom LGA, using orange baits, continuing the pattern of economic sabotage. On February 3, 2026, bandits ambushed an Operation Enduring Peace team in Zurak, Wase LGA, killing Inspector Igba Terseer and one unnamed soldier, with two missing and rifles stolen, as in “Two Security Personnel Killed, Two Missing in Attack on Operation Enduring Peace Team in Plateau” . Rescue ops continue.
On February 13, 2026, the wife of Wing Commander Geoffrey was abducted from her residence in Gura-Topp, Jos South LGA, prompting a manhunt, as per “Woman Kidnapped in Jos South LGA, Search Operation Launched” .
This story of attacks and reprisals in Plateau, drawn from zagazola.org, reveals a tragic pattern of unprovoked assaults leading to vengeance, with victims like Yakubu Salisu, Zainabu Sule, the Dorong children, Zakariya Abdullahi, the Gakok youths, and actors like Berom militias, Fulani bandits, Operation Safe Haven troops, MACBAN’s Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf, and government officials like Hon. Stephen Gyang Pwajok and Brig.-Gen. Shippi Gakji Goshwe. The cumulative toll of over 50 deaths in recent months, economic losses exceeding N100 million demands decisive intervention to break the cycle, as I have warned in “Zagazola Raises Alarm Over Another Possible Reprisal Attacks in Plateau, Urges Govt. to Act” . Without it, Plateau risks descending into broader instability, mirroring Lake Chad’s insurgencies.
| Date | Location / Village | Incident Type | Victims (Names where known) | Attackers / Actors | Details | Source Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 2, 2026 | Weren Camp & Kwi Village, Riyom LGA | Shooting & Poisoning | 1 cow shot, 3 poisoned | Unknown (pattern of Berom militia) | Orange baits used | Link |
| February 3, 2026 | Zurak, Wase LGA | Ambush | Inspector Igba Terseer, 1 soldier (killed); 2 missing | Bandits | Attack on Operation Enduring Peace team; rifles stolen | Link |
| February 13, 2026 | Gura-Topp, Jos South LGA | Abduction | Wife of Wing Commander Geoffrey | Gunmen | Stormed residence; manhunt launched | Link |
Zagazola Makama is a Security Analyst & Counter-Insurgency Expert
