Fulani community leaders in Plateau State have disputed a report that troops of Sector 4, Operation Enduring Peace, killed a suspected bandit at Rungan Jallo in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
The leaders identified the deceased as Alhaji Yusha’u, an elderly man and grandfather of Ismail Zakariya, a Fulani Point-of-Sale (POS) operator who was reportedly killed in a separate attack.
The development was disclosed on Tuesday by security expert Zagazola Makama in a post on X.
According to the community leaders, Yusha’u was allegedly mistaken for a bandit and shot while returning home from Nyola.
The incident followed reports that troops launched an operation after two female miners were killed and subsequently encountered suspected militia members at Rungan Jallo. The initial report stated that troops killed a suspected militia member during the encounter and recovered two motorcycles allegedly used by the attackers.
However, the Fulani community rejected the identification of the deceased as a bandit, insisting that he was a civilian returning home.
A community source told Zagazola Makama: “Alhaji Yusha’u was the grandfather of Ismail Zakariya, the POS operator who was killed by Berom militia. He was on his way home from Nyola when he was allegedly mistaken for a bandit and gunned down.”
The community leaders called for an investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding Yusha’u’s death and determine whether he was involved in the attack that triggered the military operation.
The incident has further raised concerns among Fulani residents over the safety of civilians caught in the cycle of attacks and reprisals in parts of Plateau State.
