In the Darazo Local Government Area of Bauchi State, at least seven persons have been killed in a violent battle between herders and farmers in the Lanzai and Dosho towns.
The Bauchi State Police Command stated that the incident started when farmers tending to their crops on the outskirts of the Lanzai community were attacked by suspected herders.
In a statement released on Thursday, SP Nafiu Habib, a spokesperson for the police, revealed that the command had received reports of the attack, which led to a retaliatory reaction from local teenagers.
It has been reported that a group of angry teenagers attacked the town of Dosho, which is home to many Fulani herders, and set fire to several buildings. Fifty huts and numerous household items were levelled during the assault.
Officials have reported seven deaths and six injuries; those individuals are undergoing medical treatment at this time. During the disturbance, a number of houses and individual possessions were also destroyed.
Police tactical squads and operatives have been sent to the impacted areas in an effort to defuse the situation. In addition to stepping up patrols in Lanzai, Dosho, and the surrounding neighbourhoods, the Violent Crime Response Unit has been activated to bolster security.
A thorough inquiry of the problem has been requested by the state’s commissioner of police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu.
He promised the locals that justice would be served by identifying and punishing those guilty for the first attack as well as any vengeance that followed.