Nine Killed, 6,000 Displaced in Gbagyi, Fulani Clash in Niger

By Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Chairman of Bosso Local Government Area in Niger State, Alhaji Isa Wakili, has alleged that not less than five lives were lost and 6,000 people displaced in last week’s clash between Gbagys; and herdsmen in the Sabon- daga village of the local government area.

Wakili said nine bodies were recovered while search for those missing was still on.

The council boss made the disclosure when he led members of the National Assembly representing the area led by Senator David Umaru to the scene of the disturbance.

Wakili said a Police Inspector and an Assistant Superintendent officer of the NSCDC were also killed in the attack.

 “More bodies are still being recovered from nearby bushes,” the chairman told the legislators.

According to him, almost all the houses in the villages, including yam and corn barns, were completely burnt in the attack estimating the loss at N700million.

He said over 3,000 villagers were displaced from Rafin Gona, while over 2,000 others were from BCC village, adding that about 1,000 displaced Fulanis were at IDP camp located inside a private farm belonging to former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).

Commenting on the incident, Senator Umaru described the attack as “barbaric, inhuman and a dastardly act.”

He said: “What I have seen is heart breaking; it is an act of wickedness and a complete disregard for human lives.

“This is a very serious problem, and a lot of people have been displaced. Most of them have fled from their houses and even if they were here, they would not have anywhere to stay because their houses have been burnt including clothes and food barns.”

Senator Umaru said: “This kind of situation is not acceptable,” stressing the need for government to take decisive action to stop reoccurrence of such attack.

“Government should also act fast in providing relief materials to the victims to prevent humanitarian crisis in the affected villages.”

He sympathised with the villagers and urged them to continue to maintain peace, assuring them that he was going to take up the matter at the Senate towards finding lasting solution to the problem of herdsmen/farmers clash in the senatorial zone.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bala Elkana, said more security men have been dispatched to the troubled areas.

Elkana also said stakeholders’ meeting would hold today (Monday) to find lasting solution to the disturbanc