Policeman killed trying to resolve conflict in Niger

A policeman simply identified as Nasiru has been reportedly killed by youths while trying to broker peace between rival groups who had a clash in Manima village under Gaba District in Lavun LGA of Niger State. Sources told City & Crime following the clash, the police were alerted and that on arriving at the village, […]

Policeman killed trying to resolve conflict in Niger

The late police officer

A policeman simply identified as Nasiru has been reportedly killed by youths while trying to broker peace between rival groups who had a clash in Manima village under Gaba District in Lavun LGA of Niger State.

Sources told City & Crime following the clash, the police were alerted and that on arriving at the village, members of the groups attacked the police team and hit the victim on his head with a weapon.

A resident told our correspondent that the victim had earlier attended a peace meeting in Doko village in Lavun LGA where issues of persistent communal clashes over lands and traditional titles in villages in the area were discussed.

He said, “The police were on official assignment to settle a dispute in Manima village and one of the villagers hit Nasiru on his head; that was the end of it.”

He added that, “The rate at which we witness communal clashes in our villages nowadays is alarming. And these clashes are either over lands or traditional titles. The policeman that was killed even attended a peace meeting in Doko village before that crisis sparked up at Manima and they went there to intervene.”

When contacted, the Niger State Police Command’s spokesman, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, said two suspects had been arrested in connection with the killing.