FULANI HERDSMEN KILL 21 IN NIGER STATE MOSQUE

Suspected Fulani herdsmen have invaded a mosque in Etogi community, Gbara Ward, Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, and killed 21 people.

According to Vanguard, there had been a disagreement between some young men of Northern extraction and members of the community, during which a herdsman was killed.

The herdsman had earlier asked for a piece of land in the community, for the purpose of farming, with an agreement to pay certain percentage annually to the Village Head but the agreement eventually collapsed.

It was reported that when the herdsmen were asked to honour the agreement, they refused, claiming real ownership of the land, which led to a fight that resulted in the death of the herdsman.

It was gathered that the other herdsmen mobilised and attacked the community mosque, when Muslim faithful were observing their early morning prayers.

The Niger state Police Command Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Bala Elkana, confirmed the report, saying that 21 people have been confirmed dead during the violence.

Elkana said, “It is confirmed that the attack was a reprisal to an earlier killing of a herder by the villagers.

“The killing of a herder was managed, but it appears they were not satisfied and decided to retaliate.
“Twenty one people were killed, while eight people sustained various degrees of injuries during the attack.”