At least two people have been killed and seven others injured following a violent midnight clash between Fulani herders and local farmers in Dagaceri, Birniwa Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday night, is the latest in a series of conflicts linked to land and resource disputes between herders and farming communities in the region.
Eyewitnesses described the attack as chaotic and terrifying. “People were running everywhere. It was a terrifying sight as attackers set homes on fire and unleashed violence on families,” said Hassan Abdullahi, a resident.
Another eyewitness, Izaddeen Usman, recalled hiding with his children in the bushes as “screams filled the night.”
A local farmer, Malam Sani, attributed the violence to recurring disputes over grazing land. “The herdsmen’s cattle kept damaging our farms. The tension finally exploded into violence,” he said.
Confirming the incident, the Jigawa State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Shi’isu Adam, said seven suspects had been arrested.
“Weapons including bows and arrows, cutlasses, phones, and local charms were recovered at the scene,” he disclosed, adding that Operation Salama was swiftly deployed to restore order.
Adam assured residents that the police remain vigilant and committed to protecting lives and property. “We will continue to pursue all those responsible,” he said.
Community leaders have appealed for calm. Malam Garba, a respected elder, urged the warring groups to embrace dialogue, saying, “More loss of life cannot be tolerated.”
Another community elder, Usman Tela, added, “We want to live in harmony, farm peacefully, and raise our children without fear of violence.”
Security agencies have intensified patrols in Dagaceri and neighbouring areas to prevent further unrest, while efforts to reach leaders of the Fulani group, Kautel Houre, were unsuccessful.
A Jigawa-based human rights advocate, Comrade Musbahu Basirka, condemned the attack and called for immediate government intervention.
He urged all parties to embrace peace, warning that continued violence “will only deepen division and suffering across the state.”
