Key facts
- At least 18 people have died in clashes over a land dispute in Niger State, Nigeria.
- The violence involved gun attacks and arson, occurring between Monday and Wednesday.
- The clashes were reportedly triggered by the killing of a member of the Fulani community, leading to retaliatory attacks.
- Local residents report a higher death toll, with one resident claiming 56 deaths.
- Communal clashes over land resources are common in Nigeria, often stemming from disputes between farmers and herders.
At least 18 people have died in protracted clashes related to a land dispute this week in Nigeria's Niger State, police reported. The violence, which occurred between Monday and Wednesday in the Rafi area, involved gun attacks and arson, according to police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun.
Abiodun stated that two people were killed on Monday, which led to retaliatory violence on Wednesday where 15 people were burned to death in a house, and another person was killed elsewhere. He attributed the violence to a "lingering land dispute between two tribes."
A reconciliation committee, headed by local government council officials, is working with security agencies to address the crisis. Joint police and military patrols have been deployed to the area to restore peace.
Communal clashes over land resources are common in parts of Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. Niger state is also known for gunmen involved in kidnappings for ransom and imposing taxes on farming communities. This attack follows closely after the kidnapping of thirty-six students in the country's northeast.