The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Fulani herdsmen

  • Fulani herdsmen kill 13 Tiv farmers

    Fulani herdsmen kill 13 Tiv farmers

    Thirteen Tiv farmers were killed yesterday by suspected Fulani herdsmen, who invaded two villages in Benue State.

    Over 400 herdsmen, armed with sophisticated weapons, attacked Tombo Ward in Logo Local Government and Moon District in Kwande Local Government.

    In Tombo, the bandits set ablaze the home of The Nation reporter, Uja Emmanuel.

    They also attacked Anyibe, Tse Gbeleve and headed to Ayilamo, the administrative headquarters of Tombo, which is 15 minutes drive to Anyiin, where Governor Gabriel Suswam hails from.

    Most of Tombo’s residents have fled days before.

    Chairman of Logo Local Government Kester Ikyenge said security officers had been deployed to the zone. He appealed for calm.

    In Moon District, the herdsmen stormed the villages in the night.

    An eyewitness, Paul Ukeyima, said the gunmen surrounded the settlement and set the houses on fire.

    In the melee, they shot at their victims as they escaped. Thirteen people were killed and over 15 houses burnt.

    In Kaduna State, six youths were injured when soldiers shot them in Manchok, Kaura Local Government Area.

    The youths were protesting the arrest of members of their vigilance group by the soldiers.

    The military personnel reportedly fired at the protesters with their Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC).

    Chairman of Kaura Local Government Kumai Badu said the situation had been brought under control.

    He said the victims were receiving treatment at Kagoro, about three kilometres from Kafanchan.

    An eyewitness, Kabosho Duniyo, said the incident occurred as some youths protested the arrest of six members of a vigilance group.

    He said the soldiers received a call from a motorist, who claimed to have been robbed in Manchok.

    “The response to the call by the soldiers led to the arrest of six suspects, who were taken to the monarch’s palace.

    One of the villagers, who gave his name simply as Emmanuel, said: “As I am talking to you now, the women and youths have barricaded the road while others have converged on the palace of the chief demanding justice.

    “We cannot understand why soldiers who are sent to protect us will turn and attack our people. This madness must stop.”

    Another villager, who identified himself as Bitrus Gwaza, said: “The soldiers arrested the vigilance group men while they were carrying out their normal stop-and-search exercise.

    “The men are helping the soldiers in ensuring the security of the area; but we are surprised that they came and arrested them,” he said.

  • Violence rocks Benue community over killing by Fulani herdsmen

    ANOTHER outbreak of fresh violence has erupted in Apir, a suburb of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, following the brutal killing of a Tiv man by suspected Fulani herdsmen. Reacting to the killing, youths, numbering over 100 took over the Makurdi- Enugu road and prevented vehicles from passing through, as they made bonfire in the middle of the road. The confusion led to traffic gridlock, as vehicles lined up on both sides of the road, waiting patiently for the situation to be brought under control. The leader of the protesting youths told The Nation that the protesters will not call off the protests until the Federal Government finds a lasting solution to the menace of incessant killings of Tiv people by suspected Fulani herdsmen. He accused the Fulani herdsmen of killing a Tiv, and making away with a herd of cattle belonging to the Benue State chairman of Sure –P, Engr. Samuel Utoo. As at press time, the Secretary to State Government (SSG), DR. DR. Yusuf Salihu, was addressing the protesting youths on behalf of Governor Gabriel Suswswam. The Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) of the Benue State Command, Daniel Ezeala, confirmed the incident, and said the police are in control of the situation.

  • Fulani herdsmen sack Niger village, kill nine

    About 100 suspected Fulani herdsmen went a mock in the early hours of Wednesday at Kushaka village in Shiroro local government council of Niger State, killing nine people and wounded several others.

    The midnight attack on the farming community was reportedly carried out at about 2:00am by dangerous weapon- wielding suspected Fulani herdsmen.

    A survivor of the attack, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence, said the early morning attack caught the villagers napping as they lost valuable possession to the invading forces.

    He said,” All the villagers had retired for the night as early as 8pm but were suddenly awoken by gunshots from the invading herdsmen. The bandit ransacked houses, shot indiscriminately and inflicted cuts on their victims.”

    He said some of the villagers managed to escape to the bush, but the elderly, mostly women and children were not as lucky as they fell to the fire power of the invading forces.

    Appealing for calm in the area, the Chairman Shiroro Local Government Council, Hon. Abdullahi Yerima, called for reinforcement of security agents in the area, assuring that the council would ensure that the marauders are apprehended and brought to book.

    Confirming the attack, the Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Richard Oguche, said it was too early to attribute the incident to any terrorist group, adding that preliminary report said the attack was carried out by Fulani herdsmen.

  • Fulani/Farmers clash: Sultan sues for peace

    Fulani/Farmers clash: Sultan sues for peace

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on Fulani herdsmen and farmers to desist from taking laws into their hands whenever there is a misunderstanding between them.

    Abubakar made the call on Thursday during a meeting with leaders of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in Katsina.

    He said “you should always channel your grievances to the appropriate authorities whenever you feel offended,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the Sultan as saying at the meeting.

    Represented by Dan-Malikin Acida, Alhaji Umaru Abubakar, the sultan also urged security agents to ensure that all citizens enjoyed equal treatment.

    “Whenever there is crisis between the two groups, security agents must consider that all parties involved are innocent until proved guilty by a competent court of law,’’ he said.

    He also urged the farmers and herdsmen to always be peace loving because no development could be achieved in crisis.

    Earlier in his remarks, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir, urged leaders of the association to address the problems of cattle theft and indiscipline among members of the association.