The Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Plateau State branch, Mallam Nuru Abdullahi, has threatened that if nothing is done to stall the new wave of cow theft and killing in the state, the herdsmen would have no choice but to take up arms and defend themselves.

Violent skirmishes between herdsmen and farmers in their host communities has recently increased significantly leading the governor of Ekiti state to ban the cattle rearers activities in the state.

Speaking to Punch newspaper in Jos on Monday, Abdullahi said that in recent weeks, over 1,600 cows have been stolen while 5 herdsmen killed by suspected cow rustlersaadding that one was just killed on Sunday and 36 cows taken from him.

Abdullahi said, “We are just on the way to bury the latest victim. He was killed on Sunday by some suspected youths and about 36 cows of his stolen. We have petitioned the governor and have asked that he should take steps to forestall a recurrence.”

The petition, according to Punch Newspaper, stated that from January till now, 1,653 cows have been stolen but 1,591 were recovered from Operation Safe Haven with the whereabouts of 62 largely unknown.

In the petition, the herdsmen recalled that in February, some rustlers allegedly killed a herder and took 13 of his cows into Kanakon village of the Fan district and the cows were traced to a particular family, who refused to release them.

Also on May 5, some youths armed with AK47 purportedly rustled 45 cows grazing around Ndig village and took them to Foron.

The herders said, “Efforts of the men of the Operation Save Haven of Sector 7 led to the recovery of two cows which had been slaughtered and the meat shared among the people. As a result of that, an emergency meeting was called by the Sector 7 commander in Fan and Foron communities.”

Adebayo Emuleomo