Plateau: Slain herders buried amid tears

Three herders, Garzali Shaibu, 18; Bashiru Yakubu, 14; and Salim Abubakar, 15, were killed in an incident around Aloghom area of Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State, on Saturday. The bodies of the deceased were buried in Mangu Town on Sunday morning. The funeral prayer was held at the Mangu Central Mosque, led by Imam Jibrin Ahmad Dalhat, Chief Imam of the mosque. Following the prayer, the corpses were moved to the Mangu Cemetery for burial.

Muhammad Salihu, Secretary of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Mangu, addressed the gathering at the burial. He urged residents and members of herding communities to remain calm and not take the law into their own hands. Salihu emphasized that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow and that the recent killings are a test for them as believers.

He also appealed to the government and security agencies to address the recurrent attacks on their communities and the destruction of their property. Salihu lamented that over 11 attacks have taken place in the area, and the government has failed to take any action. He called for unity among all citizens, regardless of their ethno-religious differences.

Security personnel present during the burial advised against taking the law into their own hands, as an investigation into the incident is underway.