The Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM) has strongly rejected claims by the Plateau State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), which alleged that seven cows were shot and poisoned by local youths in separate incidents in Riyom and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas of the state.
MACBAN had, in a statement on Sunday, January 11th, 2026, alleged that a group of “Berom Militia” had attacked a Fulani settlement in Heipang district of Barkin Ladi LGA where they shot and poisoned seven cows belonging to a herder identified as Yau Yusuf, killing three of the cows instantly.
The MACBAN statement, which was signed by its Barkin Ladi branch Chairman, Alhaji Tambari, added that a similar attack was also carried out that same night in Kwi village of Riyom LGA, where an unspecified number of cattle were also shot and poisoned by local Berom youths.
However, in the counter-statement issued late Monday by the National Publicity Secretary of BYM, Rwang Tengwong, the group stated that it strongly rejects the allegations by MACBAN, describing them as a normal ruse the group employs whenever it plans to attack local communities in the state in the guise of reprisal attacks.
The BYM stated that the MACBAN’s narrative did not align with credible intelligence available to the public which revealed that on Thursday, January 9th, 2026, armed Fulani terrorists held a meeting around Gashish District of Barkin Ladi LGA, where plans were reportedly laid for imminent attacks on Kwi community and neighbouring areas, including Wereng and parts of Heipang District.
“It is therefore disturbing that shortly after this intelligence alert, MACBAN released claims portraying Fulani herders as victims—an emerging pattern that has often preceded violent attacks on vulnerable communities,” Tengwong said.
“Further intelligence warnings also pointed to planned ambushes along the Sho–Jol axis, posing grave threats to road users. Sadly, this threat materialised with the killing of Purity Gideon Samuel, a three-year-old Nursery One pupil of Sho Ekan Primary School, who was attacked along the Sho–Jol Road near the Sho forest at about 12 noon on Saturday, 10th January, 2026.
“The routes leading to Sho and Jol villages remain largely dominated by armed Fulani terrorist elements, and BYM challenges MACBAN, as a vocal mouthpiece, to explain or justify the continued killings along these corridors, as it has often attempted to do in similar cases.
“Additionally, at about 11:03pm on Sunday, 11th January, 2026, armed jihadists and terrorists suspected to be Fulani militants attacked Nukur village of Rahoss community in Riyom LGA, killing two persons.”
Tengwong noted that MACBAN has continuously deployed phantom claims of attacks on Fulani herders in a bid to justify attacks on Berom communities, thereby “deepening mistrust, heightening tensions, and reinforcing a disturbing pattern.
“In our firm view, these repeated allegations of cattle poisoning or attacks—often unsubstantiated—appear to be deployed as a prelude to violent raids on targeted villages and communities,” the BYM spokesman said.
“Should any further attacks occur against our people, MACBAN and those advancing such narratives must be held accountable, as communities that are continually attacked, killed, and threatened with extermination would have no rational incentive to engage in acts capable of destabilising public peace or security in their own environment.
“We therefore call on security agencies to urgently investigate both MACBAN’s allegations and the recurring attacks on Berom communities, act decisively on available intelligence, and provide adequate protection to villages currently under imminent threat,”
Tengwong added.
