10 herders killed; over 80 bandits neutralised in Kebbi

Ten herders were killed in a reprisal attack carried out in error on Sunday in Tilli community, Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State. The attack was reportedly launched by some residents of the community following the killing of a vigilante member by operatives of the Lakurawa terrorist group. It was gathered that the killing […]

Ten herders were killed in a reprisal attack carried out in error on Sunday in Tilli community, Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The attack was reportedly launched by some residents of the community following the killing of a vigilante member by operatives of the Lakurawa terrorist group.

It was gathered that the killing of the vigilante man was mistakenly blamed on the Fulani residents of the area, leading to a raid on their settlement by some members of the community, during which 10 of them were killed.

A local source, Usman Shehu, who spoke to our correspondent, said the reprisal attack on the Fulani settlement was a mistake.

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“They thought the Fulani were responsible for the killing of the vigilante man, but it was actually the Lakurawa who attacked the community.

“They stormed the Fulani settlement and killed over 10 people. We are still searching for more victims who might have died in the incident,” he said.

This was the second time such an incident had occurred in parts of the state.

Last year, six Fulani were killed and several others injured in a similar reprisal attack when angry youths invaded their settlement over the killing of 17 people in Mera, Augie Local Government Area, by the Lakurawa.

The Sunday, November 11, 2024, attack, which was triggered by allegations linking some Fulani individuals to recent bandit raids, devastated the Fulani settlement, resulting in six deaths.

It was gathered that the attack was incited by a survivor of the Lakurawa assault in Augie, who claimed to have recognized some Fulani faces among the assailants.

Enraged by this claim, the youths launched an assault on the Fulani settlement, killing six people, while others sustained various injuries.

Angered by the reprisal attack, Governor Nasir Idris ordered the immediate arrest of those responsible.

A few weeks later, some of the perpetrators were arrested on the governor’s directive and charged in court for prosecution.

A local resident, Suleiman Ahmad, said the recent attack in Bunza LGA has left many residents in fear of what may happen next.

He said, “Many of us are now living in fear. We don’t know if the herders will retaliate. Some state officials of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association have been in the community since Sunday to calm the situation, and we were told that the Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Umar Tafida, will be visiting the community today.

“We want the government to help us restore peace here. This is the first time such an incident is happening in our area. It was caused by the Lakurawa, and we are calling on the government to take action against them.

“They are disturbing our peace — we can’t move freely or go about our daily activities without encountering them. The government should take urgent steps to protect us from the Lakurawa.”

Another resident said the community had lived peacefully before the recent unrest.

“There was never any conflict between the Fulani and Zabarmawa in this area until now. This crisis was triggered by the invasion of the Lakurawa. The government should help us address the security challenges they have brought,” he said.

A government official who spoke to our correspondent disclosed that the deputy governor had been directed by Governor Idris to investigate the root cause of the incident.

“The Governor has zero tolerance for such occurrences. He has repeatedly warned communities not to take the law into their own hands and will not condone killings in the name of revenge in any part of the state,” the official said.

When contacted, police spokesperson in the state, Nafiu Abubakar, said he was unaware of the incident. He promised to find out and get back to our correspondent but had not done so as of the time of filing this report.

 

Security operatives kill  80 bandits

Meanwhile, joint security operatives in Kebbi State have killed over 80 bandits attempting to infiltrate the state through its border with Zamfara State in the southern part.

Dozens of the bandits were reportedly neutralised during a joint operation by the Nigerian Air Force and Army in the Makuku forest.

The troops also rescued two people abducted by the criminals.

A statement by the security director in the state’s Cabinet Office, Abdulrahman Zagga, said the troops repelled a large-scale attack by over 400 bandits on Ribah town and inflicted heavy casualties on them.

Confirming the development to journalists, Abdullahi Idris Zuru, Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, described the operation as a decisive move against the bandits.

He said the troops successfully prevented the bandits from infiltrating Kebbi.

“These operations are part of the ongoing efforts to curb banditry in the state. The Nigerian military continues to conduct raids and engage bandit groups in various locations, including Makuku forest and border areas,” Zuru said.