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“Wallahi, if you cannot protect us, allow our children to defend us,” grieving mother cries after son and livestock killings by Mwaghavul militiamen in Mangu By: Zagazola Makama The mother of a Fulani herder reportedly killed during an attack at Lawet and Lamor in Pushit District, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, has made an emotional appeal to security agencies to protect her family and other vulnerable residents from further attacks. In an emotional video obtained by Zagazola Makama, the grieving mother, overwhelmed by the loss of her son, called on the authorities to take immediate action and prevent further killings. “Wallahi, if you cannot protect us, allow our own children to defend us,” she said, expressing frustration over what she described as the failure of authorities to provide adequate protection. The woman was speaking after her son was reportedly killed during the attack on herders and livestock around Lawet and Lamor at about 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. According to information from the area, the attackers suspected to be Mwaghavul militiamen reportedly used tear-gas canisters before opening fire with automatic rifles, allegedly targeting cattle that had been tied inside enclosures at the residences of the herders. One Fulani herder was reportedly killed, while the exact number of cattle killed or injured was still being established. The circumstances surrounding the attack and the identities of those responsible are yet to be independently established. The mother’s emotional appeal, however, highlights a deeper concern in the continuing violence in parts of Mangu: when victims believe that the state cannot protect them or deliver justice, some may begin to consider taking security into their own hands. That is precisely the point at which a security crisis can become even more dangerous. The tragedy is that a grieving family seeking protection can easily become a community mobilised for retaliation if authorities fail to respond quickly and credibly. At the same time, calls for self-defence must not become a licence for reprisals against innocent people.Every community has civilians who deserve protection, regardless of ethnicity or religion. The growing frustration among victims also places a responsibility on the Plateau State Government and security authorities to demonstrate, through concrete action, that violence will be investigated and that perpetrators will face the law.