By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo
More than 20 people have reportedly been killed in Kokoli community, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, in a fresh outbreak of violence between rival local groups.
Over 300 households have also fled their homes and taken refuge in neighbouring bushes for safety.
The latest incident has heightened fears among residents of Borgu and Agwara areas, where communities have already been grappling with persistent attacks by bandits. Many residents, according to reports, have resorted to sleeping in bushes at night to escape attacks on their communities.
A title holder and Federal legislator from the area, Shettiman Borgu Jafar Muhammad, disclosed the latest development in an interview with BBC Hausa Service monitored by our correspondent on Saturday.
Jafar said the security situation in Borgu and Agwara had become increasingly disturbing, disclosing that an attack occurred in Kokoli where more than 20 peasants were allegedly killed.
“As I’m talking to you, there was an attack in the village of Kokoli where over 20 peasants were killed,” he said, alleging that the attackers also looted the victims and took away weapons and motorcycles belonging to some of those killed.
According to him, while the communities had previously been confronted by bandit attacks, they were now facing what he described as internal clashes allegedly involving local vigilante groups and other armed groups.
He alleged that members of different ethnic groups, including Hausa, Kambari, Bargawa and Fulani, were involved in the escalating conflict, stressing that the situation had become too dangerous for ordinary residents.
Jafar also decried the alleged inadequate deployment of security personnel to the affected communities, saying the few personnel available were mainly stationed in Agwara and Pape and had been unable to respond adequately to the worsening situation.
He recalled that during a meeting with the Niger State governor, an order was given for an end to further killings in Borgu communities, adding that more than 170 people had already been victims of the clashes before the meeting. He, therefore, appealed to the state and Federal governments to urgently deploy more security personnel to the area.
The legislator said he had also taken the matter to the Presidency, stressing that as a leader, he could not fold his arms and watch any group, including Fulani residents, being killed.
He disclosed that more than 300 households had relocated to neighbouring bushes allegedly controlled by bandits, while others had fled to Yauri and Ngaski in Kebbi State for safety.
Jafar warned that the situation could have serious consequences if displaced residents eventually reached an understanding with the bandits and returned to their communities without addressing the underlying crisis.
He advocated a non-kinetic approach to resolving the conflict, arguing that the use of force alone could not guarantee lasting peace and urging the parties to sit down and resolve their differences amicably.
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