Below are documented unprovoked attacks on the Fulani pastoralists by the radical Christian Berom militias in 2026, barely two months into the new year.
• Early January 2026 – Gero and Jol, Plateau State
Around January 6, 2026, reports emerged of attacks on Fulani herders returning from shopping near Gero in Jos South LGA, where at least one herder, Zakariya Abdullahi, was killed and another critically injured amid clashes attributed by herder associations to militia elements. Jol in Riyom LGA was also cited as the scene of fatal violence.
• Late January 2026 – Jos South & Riyom LGAs
Between January 13–15, 2026, intelligence alerts were cited about armed groups around Sho–Jol roads and Nukur village, where fatalities, including a young child, were reported amid heightened tension.
• January 2026 – Roads in Jos South LGA
Around January (date varies), five travellers were injured when suspected militia gunmen opened fire on a vehicle in Jos South Local Government Area — a broader escalation tied to inter-communal clashes.
• February 2, 2026 – Plateau State
(Targeting Livestock and Settlements)
Multiple reports indicate suspected militia actions, including shooting and poisoning, targeted Fulani cattle and settlements in Weren camp in Riyom LGA and Tulus and Kwi villages in Bokkos LGA. Houses in Tulus and Horop were reportedly burned.
• February 19, 2026 – Barkin Ladi LGA
Three Fulani herders were ambushed and killed along the Dorowa–Jong road, suspected by some sources to involve community militia attacks targeting pastoralists returning from Qur’an tafsir.
• February 20, 2026 – Barkin Ladi LGA (Wider Incidents)
At least five young Fulani herders were feared dead after a suspected militia ambush near Dorowan Babuje through the Jong Fulani community. One victim was reportedly beheaded and others shot, with livestock poisoning in nearby grazing areas noted in the lead-up to the attack.
The deceased — Tahiru Muhammad, Jibrin Salisu, and Abdulmumin Isyak, along with two others — were said to have been ambushed by armed assailants described by local sources as members of a Berom militia. The attack has heightened tensions in the area, which has experienced recurring communal violence over the years.
•Early February 2026 – Riyom LGA
The Fulani community in Riyom LGA raised alarms about what they described as incessant attacks by ethnic militia elements, highlighting concerns of repeated aggression against pastoralists.
2026 Incident Summary: Cattle Killed & Poisoned
• February 2026 – Miango District (Bassa LGA)
Members of the Fulani community reported that at least eight cows were allegedly poisoned while grazing, described as part of a pattern of attacks on livestock.
January–February 2026 – Multiple Locations
Six cows were reportedly poisoned in Tulus and Rwam villages in Mushere District, Bokkos LGA.
One cow was shot dead at Weren camp in Riyom LGA.
Three cows were reportedly poisoned in Kwi village when toxic substances were placed along grazing fields.
These events occurred in early February 2026 amid broader violence, including ambushes on herders.
December 2025 (Context for 2026 Escalation)
Seven cattle were reportedly poisoned and three shot dead in separate incidents in Plateau toward the end of 2025, including allegations of poisoning in Kwi Ward, Riyom LGA, shortly before the new year.
These are people who specialise in twisting the farmer-herder crisis into claims of Christian genocide and shedding crocodile tears when wounded Fulani take reprisals as deterrence — described as the only language the militants understand.
It is high time the Plateau State Government takes action against these Christian militants to stop the unprovoked attacks and annihilation of the Fulani pastoralists in Plateau State, especially those living side by side with the Berom farmers.
The world does not know that there is a silent and systematic ongoing genocidal attack on Fulani pastoralists across the state by Christian militias. Within January and February this year alone, Fulani pastoralists have witnessed over five different unprovoked attacks from the radical Christian Berom militias across different communities in Barkin Ladi LGA.
What the Berom Christian militia should know is that no group of individuals owns the monopoly of launching unprovoked attacks on others. They should not forget that the Fulani pastoralists in Nigeria alone are over 20 million, compared to the Berom who are less than three million in population.
The Multi-Million Naira Question: When Will the Christian Berom Militias Stop Playing with Fire, Only to Turn Around and Use the Media to Spread Propaganda and Lies About What They Call Christian Genocide?
An Appeal to the Berom Farmers:
True strength and lasting peace come not from violence or retaliation, but from understanding and coexistence. The Fulani pastoralists living alongside you are your neighbours, friends, and fellow human beings. Protecting lives and livelihoods, rather than allowing anger and fear to divide, will build a community where both farmers and herders can thrive together. Unity, respect, and dialogue are the only paths to safety and prosperity for all.
Compiled by Mustapha Gembu, an advocate for peace and harmonious coexistence among the Nigerian populace
23rd, February, 2026
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Opinion