No fewer than two Fulani herdsmen were on Wednesday evening reportedly shot dead in separate attacks in two villages of Jos South Local Government Area of the Plateau State, North Central Nigeria.
Sources said that one of the victims, Abubakar Idris, escaped death by whiskers but was left with major injuries during the attack which occurred in Resre and Rafin Bauna villagers in Jos South, bordering some villages within the Miago Chiefdom in Bassa Local Government Area of the state.
While confirming the incident on Thursday morning, the state Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Nura Muhammad, alleged that the attack was carried out by the IRigwe ethnic group.
According to Nura, the bodies of the deceased were recovered in the company of security personnel, including the Divisional Crime Officer of Jos South, and soldiers from the Special Task Force, STF, Operation Safe Haven.
But the spokesperson for the IRigwe ethnic group, Davidson Malison, debunked the allegation, describing it as baseless.
A spokesman for the Special Task Force, Operation Safe Haven, Major Ishaku Takwa, who also confirmed the development, said the STF is aware of the incident.
The renewed attack which has already caused tension in the affected areas is coming two days, after herders accused the IRigwe of poisoning their cattle, while the IRigwe on the other hand accused the Fulani of killing five of their members in some villages of Bassa Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
