…Police launch investigation, deploy joint security patrols
\By Frontline Reporters
At least 18 people have been killed in a renewed wave of violence triggered by a protracted land dispute in Niger State, with 15 victims burnt alive after suspected attackers set ablaze a two-bedroom apartment where they were sleeping.
The deadly attacks occurred in Mararraban Gwadaro and Tashan Bako communities in Rafi Local Government Area, where tensions between rival groups have escalated into deadly clashes in recent weeks.
Eyewitnesses told Frontline Reporters that armed assailants stormed the residence at Angwan-Baago, near Godoro village, late at night, locked in the occupants and set the building on fire, killing all 15 people inside.
The latest killings followed an earlier attack on June 29, when suspected gunmen reportedly shot dead 25-year-old Ibrahim Musa at Godoro village at about 11:30 p.m.
According to police, Musa’s killing sparked a reprisal attack in which a group of vigilantes, popularly known as Yansakai, allegedly blocked a major road and killed 28-year-old Bashir Mazi. Authorities believe the violence is linked to a long-running land dispute involving two ethnic groups in the area.
Community sources, who requested anonymity for security reasons, identified the warring parties as members of the Fulani and Kamuku communities. They said the conflict has left several villages devastated, with homes razed and dozens of families displaced.
One community leader lamented that women and children have borne the brunt of the violence and appealed to both the Federal and Niger State governments to urgently intervene before the crisis spirals further out of control.
Chairman of Rafi Local Government Area, Ayuba Katako, confirmed the attacks and assured residents that security agencies had intensified operations in the affected communities.
“Yes, the crisis occurred in my local government, but security personnel have already been deployed to restore peace. No responsible government will stand by while innocent citizens are being killed. We are determined to bring the perpetrators to justice,” Katako said.
The spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, also confirmed the incidents, stating that investigations were underway to identify and apprehend those responsible.
According to him, police first received a report on June 30 indicating that Ibrahim Musa had been shot dead the previous night, while the subsequent reprisal attack claimed the life of Bashir Mazi.
Providing an update on the escalating violence, Abiodun disclosed that police later received another report indicating that 15 people had been burnt to death inside a two-bedroom apartment at Angwan-Baago on July 1, while another victim was killed elsewhere, bringing the overall death toll to 18.
He said a reconciliation committee headed by officials of the Rafi Local Government Council was working with security agencies to de-escalate tensions, while joint police and military patrols had been deployed across the affected communities to prevent further bloodshed.
Authorities expressed optimism that ongoing peace efforts and enhanced security presence would restore normalcy, even as investigations into the attacks continue.
ADVERTISEMENTS
