3 vigilantes arrested over alleged killing of herder in Abuja

Police in the Karmo division of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are investigating three members of a local vigilante group on suspicion of killing a herder in the area. According to Abubakar Usman Mailafiya, Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore in the FCT, the deceased, identified as Sa’adu Bello, was found dead on Tuesday […]

Police in the Karmo division of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are investigating three members of a local vigilante group on suspicion of killing a herder in the area.

According to Abubakar Usman Mailafiya, Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore in the FCT, the deceased, identified as Sa’adu Bello, was found dead on Tuesday morning near the Idu industrial layout in Abuja.

 He reportedly had two gunshot wounds.

Speaking to the Abuja Metro, Mailafiya explained that the victim had left the Mpaipe community near Karmo the previous day with 37 cattle for grazing.

 “He didn’t come back, and nothing was heard about him until around 7pm that day, when a commander of the vigilante group in our community, known as Emma, called my attention to the confiscation of the cows by vigilante members in the Karmajiji community.”

“I asked him where the herder was, and he claimed that the herder had crossed into a farm but fled after being confronted by the farm owner, leaving the animals behind,” Mailafiya said. “I retrieved the cows back to Mpaipe, and we agreed that the damage caused to the farm would be quantified the following morning for compensation.”

Mailafiya noted that they heard nothing further about the herder until Tuesday, when he received information about the location of the body in the Idu bush.

‘’ The remains were immediately taken to a public clinic in Karmajiji, where it was confirmed, he had been shot twice.A funeral prayer was held afterward,’’ he added.

According to him, following the incident, the three vigilante members were first summoned to the chief of the Mpape community and later to the District Head of Idu before being arrested by police from the Karmo division.

Police source at the station confirmed the incident.

Also, the District Head of Idu, Alhaji Ishaq Ibrahim Tanko, confirmed the incident.

 He noted that the farm where the shooting occurred is in the Wuye district, but the herder’s body was discovered in his own district of Idu. Both areas are within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

“Based on the information we gathered, the herder was trying to get home after being shot, but he lost strength and collapsed along the road,” the district head said.

He added that the farm owner, who is a member of the Karmajiji vigilante group, was arrested along with a colleague he had called for help. The commander of the Mpaipe community’s vigilante group was also taken into custody.