ABUJA— At least 12 villagers have been reportedly killed by suspected herdsmen in Plateau State, Nigeria.

The Fulani herders were said to have attacked villages of Irigwe tribe in the Bassa Local Government Area and killed 12 persons in reprisal after 19 cows belonging to the herders were on Saturday night killed.

The spokesperson for the Irigwe Development Association (IDA), Davidson Malison, said the attacks were launched in Cando Zrreci and Ritivo villages in the Bassa Local Government Area, when members of the group were observing the annual cultural festival.

He accused Fulani herders of being responsible for the murder of Irigwe people.

The State Secretary of Gan Allah Fulani Development Association (GAFDAN), Ibrahim Gidado Umar, vehemently denied, saying 19 cattles belonging to herders were on the same night shot dead in Maiyanga village in the same local government area, calling on the security agencies to arrest the perpetrators of the attack.

The spokesman for the state Police Command, ASP Ubah Gabriel, confirmed the incident, but couldn’t give the casualty figure, saying, “The command is aware of the issue in Bassa. The Commissioner of Police has deployed more personnel to the area. At the moment, the area is calm and investigation has commenced.”

On March 29, herdsmen under the Miyetti Allah Association accused youths in the Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State of poisoning cows belonging to them. Dozens of cows had allegedly died after drinking water from streams suspected to have been poisoned to kill the cattle in Irigwe land in the Bassa LGA.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK