The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has said gunmen opened fire on its members at the Conoil Fueling station on Bukuru Expressway in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday evening, injuring five.

State Chairman of the Group, Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, confirmed the incident, stating that the vehicle, a J5 open-body vehicle, was carrying eight herders, and that five of them sustained bullet wounds and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Also speaking on the incident, the Deputy Chairman of Kara Market, Dauda Adam Ciroma, described the attack as deadly and said the herders were attacked around 7:30 pm, adding that the police personnel of B Division had arrived at the scene promptly after the attack.

Dauda explained that immediately after the attack, “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. They were badly injured, with all of them having fractures and bullet wounds.”

In a statement yesterday, MACBAN chairman Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo said, “The incident occurred around 6 pm. The victims – eight in number – were on their way back from Kara market – a cattle market in Bukuru – when the gunmen, 3 on one motorcycle, who were trailing them, stormed the Conoil fuel station, opened fire on them, and fled.”

“The victims were initially rushed to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) but were later moved to The Potters Specialist Hospital, Jos, for treatment due to the ongoing strike in the government hospital.”

“This attack is unprovoked because the herders were simply buying fuel. The gunmen targeted the herders, which is why they directly attacked their vehicle and fled. This has become a dangerous trend threatening the existence of Fulani herders in the state.

“We will not relent in calming our members and urging them to remain calm, because we believe the incessant attacks against us are meant to provoke us. 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, because our lives, wherever we are – in communities, grazing fields, markets, and other places – are no longer safe,” the Chairman added.

The spokespersons for Operation Enduring Peace and the State Police Command, Major Samson Zhakom and SP Alabo Alfred, have yet to respond to our correspondent’s inquiry regarding the incident.