Herder-farmer clash claims 2 lives in Jigawa — Police

The Police Command in Jigawa said two persons were killed and three houses burnt in a clash between herders and farmers in Brinin Kudu Local Government Area on Tuesday.

This is contained in a statement by DSP Lawan Shiisu, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Dutse on Wednesday.

Shiisu said the incident occurred after suspected cattle herders from Katsina State allegedly invited by local herdsmen invaded and destroyed farmlands in Safa and Gaurakai villages in the area.

“On Tuesday, at about 1600hrs, the command received information from reliable sources that herders with large number of cattle from Katsina state on the invitation of the indigenous herders were sighted moving towards Safa and Gauraki villages.

”As a result of this, farmlands along the route were destroyed.

“On receipt of the ugly report, the Area Commander of Birnin Kudu Area Command mobilised patrol teams alongside Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), and Vigilance Group of Nigeria (VGN) and rushed to the scenes,” Shiisu said.

He explained that farmers in the affected communities were said to have mobilised in large number to defend their farmlands before the arrival of the security team.

The PPRO added that the parties consequently attacked themselves before the team succeeded in dispersing them.

According to him, as the visiting herders ward off their cattle, two persons, with one from each side, were observed to have lost their lives.

Shiisu said, ”Three of the Indigenous herders’ houses were set on fire and 15 cattle abandoned and belonging to the visiting herders were recovered.”

The PPRO further said that five indigenous herders who were suspected to have invited the invading herders were arrested.

He added that normalcy had since been restored in the affected areas, as police tactical teams in collaboration with local vigilance group members, hunters, and Yan Bulala, a local security network, have been deployed to areas to forestall further breaches of peace.

Shiisu said investigation into the case was ongoing and any one found guilty would be prosecuted accordingly.