The military says herder militia, cattle rustling, and a combination of other factors are responsible for the crisis which has engulfed the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General EDWARD BUBA, stated this while addressing a news conference in Abuja on the activities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

He, however, said special forces have been deployed to hot spots in the state to contain the situation.

General BUBA said the crisis was triggered by attempted cattle rustling and the killing of a Mangu man by herder militia.

He said it was reported that the man riding on a motorcycle along the road ran into a herd of cattle crossing the road on the 22nd of January 2024.

The herders reportedly killed the man on the spot. 

Consequently, militia mobilised and attacked residents in the early hours of the 23rd of January.