Tensions Rise in Plateau as MACBAN Alleges Cattle Killings, Ron Leaders Deny Claims

The Plateau State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has claimed that 18 cows belonging to its members were shot dead in Howl community, Bokkos Local Government Area, over the past week.

In a statement released on Monday, the State Chairman of MACBAN, Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, also alleged that 130 cattle were rustled from various locations across the state by suspected locals. According to him, the rustling occurred on Wednesday, July 30th, and the cattle have remained missing since then.

“We’ve been searching for the cattle since July 30. Armed rustlers made away with 130 cows and shot dead 18 others,” Babayo said.

He further stated that the incidents have been reported to security agencies, but expressed frustration over what he described as the lack of prompt response from law enforcement authorities. Babayo specifically accused members of the Ron ethnic group—who form the majority in Bokkos LGA—of orchestrating the attacks and thefts.

However, in a swift rebuttal, the Secretary of the Ron Kulere Jos and Environs, Barr. John Apollos Maton, dismissed the allegations as baseless and inflammatory. He described them as a deliberate attempt to provoke violence and justify future attacks on local communities.

Maton said the accusations were “a figment of the imagination” of the Fulani group, and alleged that such claims are often used by MACBAN to deflect blame from violent acts carried out by Fulani militias in the area.

He urged security and intelligence agencies to remain alert and take preventive measures against any potential retaliation, warning that such rhetoric could escalate tensions and endanger lives.

The development adds to the growing insecurity and ethnic tensions in Plateau State, where recurring clashes between herders and farming communities have led to significant loss of lives and property in recent years.