In a violent incident that has heightened tensions, unidentified gunmen opened fire on a group of herders in Plateau State on Sunday evening, leaving five people with serious bullet wounds.
Attack at Conoil Fuel Station
The assault occurred at the Conoil fueling station situated along the busy Bukuru Expressway within the Jos South Local Government Area. According to the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), the victims were eight herders returning from the Kara cattle market in Bukuru.
Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, the State Chairman of MACBAN, provided a detailed account. He stated that the herders were in a J5 open-body vehicle when they were trailed by three assailants riding on a single motorcycle. The gunmen stormed the fuel station around 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, unleashed a barrage of gunfire at the vehicle, and then fled the scene.
Emergency Response and Hospital Transfer
The response from security forces was swift. Personnel from the B Division of the Nigeria Police Force arrived promptly after the attack. Dauda Adam Ciroma, the Deputy Chairman of Kara Market, who was present, confirmed that police officers actively helped evacuate the critically injured victims.
"Police officers quickly arrived at the scene and actively participated in evacuating the victims to the hospital. It was the police and I who took them to the hospital," Ciroma explained. He described the severity of the injuries, noting that all five wounded herders sustained fractures in addition to gunshot wounds.
The victims were first taken to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH). However, due to the ongoing strike by staff at the government hospital, they were later transferred to The Potters Specialist Hospital in Jos to receive necessary medical treatment.
MACBAN's Stern Warning and Plea for Security
In a strong statement released on Monday, Chairman Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo condemned what he termed an "unprovoked" attack. He emphasized that the herders were merely purchasing fuel and were deliberately targeted.
"This has become a dangerous trend threatening the existence of Fulani herders in the state," Babayo warned. He expressed deep concern over the safety of his members, stating their lives are at risk in communities, grazing fields, markets, and other public places.
While urging his members to remain calm and not be provoked, Babayo issued a direct appeal to security agencies. "We are calling on security forces to investigate the incident and arrest the perpetrators. We are urging the security agencies in the state to wake up to this dangerous trend and arrest it immediately," he asserted.
As of the time of reporting, official responses from the police and military operations in the state were still pending. The spokespersons for Operation Enduring Peace, Major Samson Zhakom, and the Plateau State Police Command, SP Alabo Alfred, had not yet responded to media inquiries regarding the attack.
