Clashes between nomadic herders and farming communities often flare in Plateau State. The region sits on the dividing line between the mostly Muslim north and Nigeria’s predominantly Christian south.
In the latest violence on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, half a dozen members of a local farmers’ self-defense group were killed by gunmen in Riyom district, while another 10 people were killed in an attack in Mangu area, an army spokesperson said.
“Six lives were lost in Riyom,” army Major Ishaku Takwa told AFP on Wednesday. “Another attack took place in some communities in Mangu and 10 persons died.”
Plateau state assembly member representing Mangu South, Bala Fwangje, said 14 people had been killed in that area.
“We heard that about 14 people were killed, houses destroyed, property burnt. I am yet to get the full details,” he said.
Over 200 killed since May
Since May, nearly 200 people have been killed in clashes between the Berom farming communities, who are mainly Christian, and the cattle-breeding communities of Fulani Muslims in the Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Mangu areas of Plateau.
It was unclear what triggered the recent attacks in Plateau, but tit-for-tat killings between herders and farmers often spiral into village raids by heavily armed gangs who loot, kidnap and kill villagers.
The Plateau crisis is one of the many security challenges facing President Bola Tinubu, who took the helm of Africa’s most populous nation at the end of May.
Changes in security chiefs
In the past week, the country oversaw sweeping changes in the military, with hopes that this will address runaway insecurity.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu made sweeping changes to the defense forces Monday, forcing out the security chiefs and the head of police less than a month after taking office.
Tinubu, who was sworn in May 29, has made security one of his major priorities and promised reforms to the sector, including the recruitment of more soldiers and police officers, while paying and equipping them better.
Nigeria’s military is stretched — fighting a long-running Islamist insurgency in the northeast and banditry and kidnappings for ransom in the northwest as insecurity has spread to most parts of the country.
It is not unusual for a new Nigerian president to send security chiefs into early retirement upon taking office, as Tinubu did Monday.
