Herders in Plateau State alleged that military personnel killed cattle and burned homes in a raid following the death of a soldier.
Military forces reportedly stormed the Luggere herding community in the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area around 3:00 a.m., firing at livestock and setting houses ablaze. This action came after the body of a soldier, whose rifle was stolen, was discovered near a checkpoint in Maraban Kantoma, an area bordering Barkin Ladi and Mangu local government areas.
The violence occurs in Plateau State, a flashpoint for deadly, long-running conflicts between predominantly Christian farmers and mostly Muslim Fulani herders over land and grazing rights. The Nigerian military has a mandate to restore peace, but this alleged reprisal raises concerns about extrajudicial actions.
Abdullahi Umar, the leader of the community claims that the soldiers demanded the herders to vacate the community if they failed to produce the soldier’s killers. He added that the community was far from the checkpoint and that they knew nothing of the killing.
He told reporters in Jos that they seek justice:
We are calling on the soldiers to investigate those who perpetrated the crime and bring them to book. We are also appealing to them to ensure justice
At the time this report was published, the military spokesperson, Major Samson Zhakom had not responded to media inquiries about this event.
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