Kwara State is facing rising security concerns following the assassination of another member of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN). The latest victim, identified as Dabe, was shot dead by unknown gunmen on Tuesday night in Kanbi town along the Ilorin-Jebba highway in Moro Local Government Area.
Escalating Violence Against Fulani Leaders
Dabe’s murder comes just days after the killing of MACBAN’s Kwara State chairman, Idris Abubakar, who was gunned down in front of his residence in Oke-Ose, Oke-Oyi town, Ilorin East Local Government Area, on Saturday night.
The killings have heightened fear among Fulani herders in the region, with concerns that they are being systematically targeted for cooperating with security agencies to combat criminal activities linked to cattle rustling and banditry.
A Targeted Attack
Reports indicate that Dabe, who also served as a vigilante, was ambushed around 10 PM and shot dead in a manner similar to previous attacks on MACBAN members. His assassination marks the fifth such killing in the past two weeks, all allegedly tied to the group’s opposition to criminal activities within the herding community.
MACBAN’s Reaction
Reacting to the attack, MACBAN’s Kwara State Secretary, Mallam Abdulazeez Mohammed, described the killings as a deliberate attempt to silence Fulani leaders working against crime.
“Our chairman was assassinated because he stood against kidnapping and other criminal activities. He had been trailed by these criminals for over five months before they finally ambushed him,” Abdulazeez said.
He revealed that Abubakar had received multiple death threats from criminal groups demanding he stop working with law enforcement.
“They told him he would be eliminated if he didn’t back down. But he refused to compromise. He fought to clean our name and paid the ultimate price,” he added.
Authorities Yet to Respond
Efforts to obtain a comment from the Kwara State Police Command have been unsuccessful. The command’s spokesperson, DSP Ejire-Adeyemi Toun, has not responded to calls or messages as of Thursday morning.
The series of killings have raised serious concerns over insecurity in Kwara State, particularly among the Fulani community, who fear further attacks.
