On Saturday evening, armed assailants opened fire on Alhaji Yakubu, who serves as the chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) within the Langai Ward located in the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Yakubu reportedly survived the attack but sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a hospital for treatment.
The incident comes amid heightened tension in Mangu and other parts of Plateau State, where several people have reportedly been killed in recent weeks.
The Plateau State Chairman of MACBAN, Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, confirmed the incident, saying the association was investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack and those responsible.
“The incident has been reported. We are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident,” he said.
The shooting has raised fresh concerns over security in Mangu, an area that has experienced recurring violence, cattle rustling, destruction of farmlands and reprisal attacks amid tensions between farming and herding communities.
The latest incident has renewed calls for security agencies to investigate the shooting, identify those responsible and take steps to prevent possible retaliatory attacks.
The spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, SP Alabo Alfred, had yet to respond to inquiries as of press time.
What You Should Know
The chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Langai Ward, Mangu LGA of Plateau State, Alhaji Yakubu, survived a targeted shooting by unidentified gunmen on Saturday night. Although he sustained serious injuries and is currently receiving medical treatment, the incident has amplified existing tensions in an area frequently troubled by farmer-herder conflicts and recurring violence.
- Positive Impact: The survival of the local leader provides an opportunity for peace-building efforts to prevail and allows security agencies to gather direct accounts regarding the perpetrators.
- Potential Concerns: The attack heightens the risk of retaliatory violence, deepens insecurity across farming and herding communities in Plateau State, and underscores persistent vulnerabilities in rural safety.
