A clash between herders and farmers has allegedly resulted in the deaths of three persons in Kwali village, Gwada, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday, leading to tension between the two warring sides in the area.
it was learnt that the brouhaha was triggered by a disagreement between one farmer identified as Salihu Adamu and a herdsman, Usman Sarki.
A source from the area said the herdsman, Usman Sarki, stormed the farm of the farmer, Salihu Adamu, with his cows to graze at Kwali village and caused some damage to his crops, a situation that led to a serious confrontation between him and the farmer.
The source explained that after their quarrel, the farmer returned to continue with his work, but the herdsman, who was not happy with the development, attacked the farmer from behind with a matchet.
“The attack resulted in the death of the farmer, and angered by the situation, his people mobilised and followed the herder to his settlement, where they lynched him along with one other person,” the source said.
It was also stated that the action of the farmers was immediately met with a reprisal attack from the herdsmen who invaded Kwali village and set all the houses there on fire, including food barns belonging to the people.
Confirming the incident, the Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, in Minna, said the command received information on Thursday from the Gwada Division that there was a feud between herders and farmers.
Abiodun, in a statement, disclosed: “Some persons were in the farm at Kwali village via Gwada, while one Usman Sarki reared his cattle into the farm and in the process of chasing the cattle out of the farm, the said Sarki inflicted a deep machete cut on the head of Salihu Adamu in the farm and he died on the spot. As a result of this, some persons from the village mobilised and burned the nearby Fulani camp and vice versa.”
The police PRO also said the patrol team of Gwada Division, led by the DPO and vigilante members, moved to the scene and normalcy was restored.
He further added that effort is ongoing to arrest fleeing suspects responsible for culpable homicide and mischief by fire in the area.