It was gathered that several houses were also set ablaze during the incidents, while five others—mainly women—sustained gunshot injuries and are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Bokkos.
At least four herders and nine cows were reportedly killed, while several houses were set ablaze in renewed violence that erupted on Tuesday in Bokkos and Bassa local government areas (LGAs) of Plateau State.
It was gathered that several houses were also set ablaze during the incidents, while five others—mainly women—sustained gunshot injuries and are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Bokkos.
Daily Trust reports that the violence erupted just hours after an earlier attack in the Kopmur community, Mushere District of Bokkos, where seven members of a single family were killed in a midnight raid.
Confirming the latest incidents, Plateau State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, said one attack occurred in Tangoron village in Bassa LGA, while the second took place in Mushere, Bokkos LGA.
He stated that gunmen killed a herder and opened fire on grazing livestock, resulting in the death of nine cows.
“I visited the scenes of the attacks myself. I have briefed the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army and the Plateau State Police Command. They have advised calm,” Babayo said.
In a separate statement, the state chairman of the Gan Allah Fulani Development Association (GAFDAN), Garba Abdullahi, condemned the killings and called on security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and bring those responsible to justice.
However, the situation remains tense amid conflicting narratives.
Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council (BCDC), Farmasum Fuddang, questioned the motives behind the reports of herders being killed in Mushere.
He alleged that such claims might be an attempt to divert attention from previous attacks on farming communities allegedly perpetrated by herders.
“If such an incident occurred, they should report it to the appropriate security agencies,” Fuddang said. “Making such claims only points to their culpability in previous attacks on our people.”
Plateau State has long grappled with deadly clashes between herders and farmers, often driven by land disputes, grazing rights, and ethnic tensions.
On May 26, 2025, the media reported that a Catholic priest in Benue State, Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongu, had been shot by suspected armed herdsmen along the Makurdi–Naka Road. Two other occupants were abducted.
The priest, who served at St. John Quasi Parish in Jimba, was ambushed while returning from Makurdi to his duty post in Naka.
It was gathered that the assailants opened fire as the vehicle passed through a remote section of the road, forcing the attackers to believe that the priest had been fatally wounded.
Following the gunfire, the gunmen abducted the two remaining vehicle occupants, disappearing into a dense forest region amid confusion and terror.
However, swift action by security personnel led to the timely rescue of Rev. Fr. Atongu.
Despite having sustained severe blood loss from the attack, he was rushed to a nearby hospital.
Meanwhile, the Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev. Fr. Shima Ukpanya, confirmed the details of the attack in a letter addressed to priests, religious personnel, and the lay faithful.
He also made a heartfelt appeal for prayers, urging all to intercede for the swift recovery of Rev. Fr. Atongu.
Writing on behalf of Most Rev. Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, the letter read: “I write on behalf of the Bishop to inform you and request your prayers for the quick recovery of one of our priests, Rev. Fr. Solomon Atongu, who was attacked and shot this evening around Tyolaha, along the Makurdi–Naka Road, Gwer West Local Government Area, by suspected terrorist herdsmen.
“Let us unite in prayer for God’s healing upon him as the medical team works to stabilize him. May our Lady, Mother of Perpetual Help, intercede for us.”
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