Five Fulani youths were critically injured on Friday evening after suspected Berom militias opened fire on their vehicle near Con Filling Station along Bukuru Express Road, close to Angle D in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The victims were returning from Bukuru Cattle Market, popularly known as Kara Market, on December 27, 2025, when they were ambushed near Anguldi Filling Station.
The attackers reportedly fired without provocation, leaving all five occupants with serious gunshot wounds.
The injured victims were identified as Abubakar Aji, Idi Saleh, Sulaiman, Nura Muhammad Detta, and Dabo Abubakar. Security personnel evacuated them to the Jos University Teaching Hospital for urgent medical treatment.
Confirming the incident, the Plateau State Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf, condemned the attack, describing it as part of a recurring pattern of violence against innocent travellers in the state.
“We strongly condemn this senseless and criminal act against innocent civilians and call on security agencies to urgently investigate, identify the perpetrators, and bring them to justice,” Yusuf said.
He also urged the Plateau State Government to strengthen security along major roads and commercial routes to protect lives and property, regardless of ethnic or religious background.
The shooting comes amid rising tensions and reprisal attacks across Plateau State. Observers link the incident to the killing of 12 persons on December 16, 2025, at an illegal mining site in Tosho Community, Fann District of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, where gunmen reportedly demanded information on 171 cattle allegedly stolen earlier from Nding community.
In recent weeks, several attacks have been recorded across Barkin Ladi, Jos East, and Riyom local government areas.
These include cattle rustling in Nding community on December 12, where 137 cattle belonging to three herders were stolen, a subsequent raid in Kukukah community that led to the loss of 34 cattle, and the poisoning of cows around Kwi village in Riyom LGA.
The violence later escalated into retaliatory attacks, including the killing of four children in Dorong village, Foron District of Barkin Ladi LGA, followed by further assaults in Gero village, Jos South LGA, where several cattle were killed or fatally injured.
Security analysts have warned that persistent attacks on pastoral communities particularly cattle rustling and livestock poisoning often trigger retaliatory violence against civilians, fueling a dangerous cycle of bloodshed.
Critics accuse authorities of inaction and selective enforcement, warning that failure to intervene decisively could further destabilise the state.
