Kebbi Farmer-Herder Clash Leaves 8 Dead as Curfew Is Imposed in Argungu

(Farmer-Herder. Photo Credit; NTA Network News)

The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed the d£ath of eight persons in a violent clash between farmers and herders in Gulma Town, Argungu Local Government Area of the state.

The command's spokesman, SP Bashir Usman, disclosed this in a statement issued in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday, saying the victims comprised one farmer and seven herders, while five persons, including a woman, were rescued by security operatives during the unrest.

According to him, the incident began at around 3:00 p.m. on Monday when a herder, identified as Yaron Buba-Dogo, allegedly allowed his cattle to stray into the farmland of one Alhaji Aminu Ala, destroying crops.

A confrontation ensued between the two men, during which the farmer was allegedly st@bbed in the neck and died on the spot.

The d£ath triggered outrage among residents, who mobilised and att@cked the herder, k!ll!ng him and setting his body ablaze.

The mob subsequently launched further att@cks on members of the affected community.

Despite efforts by security personnel to restore order, four additional persons were k!ll3d and their bodies burnt beyond recognition, while two more corpses were later recovered from a farmland on the outskirts of Gulma Town.

Security operatives successfully rescued five persons trapped during the violence and evacuated them to the Argungu Divisional Police Headquarters for protection.

A joint security team comprising the police and other agencies has since been deployed to the area to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

The state government has also imposed a curfew on the affected community as part of measures to restore peace and prevent a recurrence of the violence.

Usman said normalcy was gradually returning to the area, with security personnel maintaining intensive patrols and surveillance.

The Commissioner of Police, Umar Hadejia, urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring that all those found culpable would be brought to justice.

He also appealed to members of the public to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information capable of preventing further violence.