1 killed, 3 injured as farmers, herders clash in FCT community

There was palpable tension at Gurfata community in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT following a crisis that broke out between farmers and herders.  Our correspondent reports that a farmer, identified as Dahiru Yakubu, died during the crisis, while three herders were injured. A number of huts at the herders’ camp in the community were […]

There was palpable tension at Gurfata community in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT following a crisis that broke out between farmers and herders. 

Our correspondent reports that a farmer, identified as Dahiru Yakubu, died during the crisis, while three herders were injured.

A number of huts at the herders’ camp in the community were also said to have been set ablaze during the crisis.

Witnesses said the incident occurred on Tuesday around 11:47 am when two herders allegedly allowed their cows onto the deceased farmer’s land.

According to Ishaku Gwomna, a resident of Gurfata community, the incident occured after a disagreement between one of the herders, Shaibu Adamu, and the deceased farmer, Dahiru Yakubu.

He stated that Dahiru was working on his farm when the cows entered and destroyed some of his crops. 

This, he said, led to an altercation between the farmer and the herders.

“The farmer walked up to the herders and asked them to move their cows out of his farm. This resulted in an altercation, and one of the herders pulled out his cutlass and hacked Dahiru on the head,” he recounted.

He said the farmer fell to the ground, bled and the herders immediately fled the scene with their cows.

According to Gwomna, some villagers, upon getting the information, mobilised to the farm and evacuated Dahiru to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada, where he later died.

Abuja Metro gathered that some of the angry villagers, upon receiving information that Dahiru had died in the hospital, mobilised to attack the herders. 

Three of the herders sustained serious injuries during the attack.

Our correspondent also learnt that the herders’ huts, built with grasses, were set ablaze by the villagers.

It was further learnt that the situation created tension in the community, prompting the council chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri, to order the deployment of soldiers and policemen to restore calm.

Reacting to the incident, the Special Adviser on Security Matters to the chairman of the council, Adamu Yusuf, confirmed the incident via telephone on Wednesday. 

He said one person died while three herders sustained injuries during the crisis. 

He added that the remains of the farmer were buried on Wednesday in the community.

When asked if herders’ camps were burnt down by some angry villagers, he responded, “Well, I am not aware of that, but I will find out as we are now at the palace of the village head of Gurfata with some security operatives to calm down the tension. So, I will get back to you later.”

The chairman of the FCT chapter of the Miyyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Alhaji Wakili Madugu, also confirmed the incident, stating that three herders were attacked and injured by some angry villagers. 

He also said several huts built with grasses belonging to the herders were set ablaze by the angry villagers.

“I cannot say much on the incident for now as the matter is before the relevant security agencies who are currently investigating the incident,” he said.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the council, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri, has condemned the incident.

Giri, while speaking to our reporter via telephone on Wednesday, said it was unfortunate that despite his administration’s efforts at ensuring peace between farmers and herders, some people were still bent on causing tension in the council.

The chairman appealed for peace and urged both communities to exercise restraint, adding that the council had directed security operatives to ensure that those behind the crisis are fished out to face the full wrath of the law.

The police in Gwagwalada also confirmed the incident.