A fresh wave of violence has hit Plateau State, leaving a Fulani herder dead after an attack by Berom militia in the Makera area of Riyom Local Government Area.

The incident took place around noon on April 26, adding to the growing list of deadly clashes between farming and herding communities in the region. Six cattle were also shot dead, and about 20 others sustained gunshot wounds.

The attack did not come out of nowhere. Just two days earlier, suspected armed Fulani bandits had killed two local hunters and injured another in the same Riyom area. That attack was itself a retaliation for an earlier Berom militia operation that targeted Fulani herders and led to the rustling of 84 cattle. The cycle of revenge attacks has made it nearly impossible for peace to take root.

When news of the herder’s killing reached them, troops from Operation ENDURING PEACE rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, they found the dead herder and the slaughtered cattle. The soldiers then spotted five suspects trying to flee toward the Golhoss community. A chase ensued, leading to the arrest of two suspects while the other three escaped.

The body of the deceased herder was recovered and handed over to the secretary of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, known as MACBAN. But in a dangerous escalation, members of the Berom community have reportedly vowed to attack soldiers over the arrest of the two suspects.

This threat against security forces shows the conflict is spiraling further out of control.

For ordinary people in Riyom, the situation feels hopeless. Every new attack brings more grief and more calls for revenge. The killing of one more herder, the threat against soldiers, and the endless cycle of retaliation show just how far apart these neighbors have drifted. Without urgent and honest intervention, more families will be forced to bury their loved ones too soon.