‘Herders suffer more in Plateau ’ – Fulani leader

A Fulani leader in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Malam Musa Sale, has revealed that contrary to widespread claims that his people have been staging violent attacks and killings in local communities, herders have been at the receiving end most of the time.

According to Sale, herders in the state suffer more attacks, killings, and cattle rustlings than in other states, especially in the Middle Belt, where they are often targeted by natives.

In an exclusive interview with DAILY POST on Sunday, Sale said that in the past five years, over 1,000 Fulani people have been killed while more than 5,000 cows have either been killed or stolen by native militias in places like Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Bassa, and Riyom local government areas.

“I can tell you that Fulani herders suffer more attacks in Plateau State than in other states, especially in the Middle Belt,” Sale said.

“Most of these attacks and killings of our people are not reported because the media in the state have refused to report what we are going through. They only report when our people get frustrated and decide to go after those who kill our herders and steal our cows,” he added.

Sale lamented that even when it is glaringly apparent that herders are victims in some of the violence, the narrative is often changed to make it appear that they are the aggressors.

“In some cases, native youths, especially the Beroms, form gangs and attack Fulani settlements, killing our people and rustling our cows. These attacks are never reported, but when our people become angry and decide to fight back, the whole world sees it.