6 herders injured over farm encroachment in Abuja

Six herders were on Sunday injured following an attack launched by farmers in Paikonkore community in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT. The incident was said to have occurred around 5 pm in a grazing reserve a few kilometres from Gwagwalada town. Our reporter who visited the town yesterday saw the six injured herders in […]

Six herders were on Sunday injured following an attack launched by farmers in Paikonkore community in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT.

The incident was said to have occurred around 5 pm in a grazing reserve a few kilometres from Gwagwalada town.

Our reporter who visited the town yesterday saw the six injured herders in a clinic where they were rushed to.

Speaking to City & Crime, one of the victims, Yusuf Lawan, said he was leading his cattle out of the grazing reserve and heading to his home in Unguwan Basawhen when some natives attacked him over the allegation of farm encroachment.

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He said, “They demanded me to go back and see how one of my cows ate some crops in the cause of crossing out of the grazing reserve. I demanded them to explain to me about the loss as there was no one to look after my cattle if I followed them back.

“But one of them turned down my plea, dragged me back into the grazing reserve and cut me with a machete on the head. Another man hit me on the hand before they released me.

He further said that he managed to run back to his cattle where he met some of his brothers and informed them about the development.

Also speaking, the leader of the Fulani community in the area, Wakili Juli, said the natives mobilised their members that included vigilantes and headed towards the herders’ hamlets within the grazing reserve with the aim of setting them ablaze.

He said, “Five other people from my members were injured in the course of self-defense as they denied the attackers access to their hamlets.”

But a resident, Shuaibu Suleiman, alleged that on Sunday some herders grazed their cows on a farm.

He explained that the farmers who discovered the destruction of the farm approached the herders to query them for allowing cows on the farm, a situation which he said resulted in exchange of words.

Also, one of the vigilantes said three of their members were also injured during the incident, but noted that none of them was hospitalised.

The Gwagwalada Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Hamza Sadiq, who confirmed the incident, said that a police team drafted to the area was able to save the situation from escalating.

By Adam Umar & Abubakar Sadiq Isah