KEY POINTS

• Gunmen shot MACBAN chairman Alhaji Yakubu in Mangu, Plateau State, on Saturday night.

• Yakubu survived but sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital.

• MACBAN is investigating the attack, while police had yet to comment publicly.

Gunmen have shot Alhaji Yakubu, the chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, in Langai Ward, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The attack occurred on Saturday night, October 17, 2026, leaving Yakubu seriously injured. He reportedly survived the shooting and was rushed to a hospital for medical treatment.

The incident has heightened concerns about security in Mangu, an area that has experienced recurring violence involving farming and herding communities, including cattle rustling, destruction of farmland and reprisal attacks.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the identities of the attackers and their possible motive, had not been established in the report.

MACBAN begins investigation into shooting

The Plateau State chairman of MACBAN, Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, confirmed the attack and said the association was investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Babayo said the incident had been reported, but he did not provide further details about the investigation or identify any suspects.

The shooting of a local cattle breeders’ leader could heighten anxiety among herders in the area, particularly amid recent reports of killings and other violent incidents across parts of Plateau State.

However, no direct link between the attack and previous incidents was established in the report.

Mangu has experienced repeated security challenges involving violence, cattle theft, destruction of farmland and attacks followed by reprisals. Tensions between farming and herding communities have contributed to insecurity in parts of Plateau State over the years.

The latest shooting has renewed calls for security agencies to investigate the incident, identify those responsible and prevent further violence.

Swift investigations could help establish whether the attack was connected to existing local disputes or had another motive. Authorities will also need to consider the risk of retaliatory violence, particularly where attacks occur amid already strained community relations.

At the time Daily Trust published its report, the spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, SP Alabo Alfred, had not responded to inquiries about the shooting.

The police had therefore not publicly provided details about the investigation, possible arrests or measures being taken to apprehend the attackers.