NO fewer than eight persons have been killed in a violent clash between farmers and herders in Gulma town, Argungu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed the incident on Tuesday, June 23, saying one farmer and seven herders lost their lives during the violence, while five persons, including a woman, were rescued by security operatives.
The command’s spokesperson, Bashir Usman, said the crisis erupted around 3pm on Monday after a herder identified as Yaron Buba-Dogo allegedly allowed his cattle to stray into the farmland of one Aminu Ala, destroying crops.
According to him, an altercation ensued between the two men, during which the farmer was allegedly stabbed in the neck and died on the spot.
The killing sparked outrage among residents, who reportedly mobilised and attacked the herder, killing him and setting his body ablaze.
Usman said the violence subsequently escalated as the mob launched attacks on members of the affected community.
The police spokesman noted that security operatives rescued five persons trapped during the violence and evacuated them to the Argungu Divisional Police Headquarters for protection.
He explained further that a joint security team comprising the police and other security agencies was deployed to the area to prevent further breakdown of law and order fthe incident.
The state government has also imposed a curfew on the affected community as authorities intensify efforts to restore peace.
The latest violence comes amid growing insecurity across northern Nigeria, where communities continue to grapple with farmer-herder conflicts, banditry and attacks by armed groups.
Farmer-herder clashes have remained a recurring security challenge in several states, particularly in the North-West and North-Central regions, where disputes over grazing routes and farmland frequently turn deadly.
The Kebbi incident occurred barely a day after the Plateau State Police Command confirmed the killing of 20 persons in an attack on Kawel community in Mushere District of Bokkos Local Government Area.
Armed men reportedly invaded the community in the early hours of Sunday, killing residents before fleeing the area.
The attack was the latest in a series of deadly assaults that have continued to plague Plateau communities despite repeated security interventions.
President Bola Tinubu had in April pledged to deploy 5,000 CCTV cameras to the state as part of measures to curb insecurity, but attacks have persisted in several communities.
The fresh killings in Kebbi and Plateau have renewed concerns over the country’s worsening security situation, particularly in rural communities where residents remain vulnerable to communal violence, bandit attacks and other forms of armed conflict.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M