A Fulani community leader in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Malam Musa Sale, says herders have suffered more fatalities and losses in recent years than is often reported, despite widespread claims accusing them of orchestrating violent attacks in the state.
Sale stated that Fulani communities in Plateau have come under sustained assaults from armed native militias in several council areas, including Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Bassa and Riyom.
According to him, more than 1,000 Fulani men, women and children have been killed in the last five years, while over 5,000 cows have been either stolen or killed during attacks on settlements and grazing routes.
“I can tell you that Fulani herders suffer more attacks in Plateau State than in any other state in the Middle Belt,” he said.
Sale alleged that most of the incidents go unreported because local media organisations “ignore or downplay” attacks targeting herders, but amplify retaliatory incidents when tensions escalate.
He claimed several communities are routinely attacked by armed youths, particularly among the Berom ethnic group, who he accused of forming vigilante-style gangs that raid Fulani settlements, destroy property and rustle cattle.
“In some cases, these groups kill our people and steal our cows, yet nobody reports it,” he said. “But when our people get angry and fight back, that is when the world pays attention.”
Sale cited a recent incident in which herders moving their cattle from Mangu were blocked for two days by local youths between Kombun and Bwai, until security operatives intervened.
He described Bokkos Local Government as “a dead zone” for Fulani herders, alleging that a 13-year-old boy was killed there recently while grazing, and more than 50 cows were stolen.
He also accused some native youths of destroying their own communities in order to falsely implicate Fulani herders in attacks.
While acknowledging that there are criminal elements among the Fulani, Sale insisted that militias exist within native tribes as well, adding that the herder community has documented records of unreported attacks that will be released “at the right time”.
“Our appeal is that the media should be fair. If they report attacks involving Fulani herders, they should also report incidents where we are the victims,” he said.