10 Killed in Renewed Plateau Violence as Cattle Rustling Sparks Retaliatory Attacks

By Joshua Omoniyi 

The tranquility of Riyom Local Government Area in Plateau State was shattered this week as intercommunal clashes linked to cattle rustling and farm destruction left ten people dead and scores of livestock injured or stolen. According to Operation Safe Haven, violence erupted on May 12, 2025, when youths in Dayan village slaughtered and rustled cattle that had trampled their farms.

Tensions escalated the following evening, May 13, when suspected Fulani herders attacked Danchindo village, killing four residents before security forces could intervene. In a cycle of reprisal, on May 14, attackers in Darwat community slaughtered 26 cows and wounded several others—an act attributed to locals avenging the earlier deaths. Later that same day, militants struck an isolated settlement near Wereng Kam, killing six more civilians and setting parts of the village ablaze.

Rapid deployment by the Joint Security Task Force helped prevent a full-scale assault on Wereng village, recovering 130 cows and arresting one suspect now under investigation. Major General Folusho Oyinlola, commander of Operation Safe Haven, met with community leaders to broker calm and reaffirmed the military’s commitment to restoring order.

Governor Caleb Muftwang has condemned the attacks as genocidal and an attempt at land grabbing, warning that those responsible will face the full weight of the law. This latest outbreak comes just days after five traders were abducted in a market raid at Dogon Ruwa in Wase LGA, underscoring the widening insecurity in Plateau State.

Residents, still reeling from months of displacement and bloodshed, are calling for a more robust security presence and lasting solutions to recurring cycles of cattle rustling and retaliatory violence. As troops maintain patrols across affected communities, hopes for peace hinge on sustained dialogue between Fulani herders, Berom farmers, and state authorities.