Eight Killed In Kebbi Farmer-Herder Clash, Curfew Imposed

At least eight people have been killed following a violent clash between farmers and herders in Gulma Town, Argungu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, prompting authorities to impose a curfew and deploy additional security personnel to restore order.

The Kebbi State Police Command said the violence erupted on Monday after a dispute over alleged destruction of farmland by cattle grazing in the area.

According to the command's spokesperson, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, the incident began when cattle belonging to a herder reportedly strayed into a farm and damaged crops, leading to a confrontation between the herder and the farm owner.

Police said the disagreement escalated, resulting in the death of the farmer after he was allegedly stabbed during the altercation.

The killing triggered reprisal attacks by angry residents, who reportedly descended on the herder, killing him and setting his body ablaze.

The violence quickly spread through the community, with mobs carrying out further attacks that left several people dead.

Security agencies said four additional victims were killed and burnt beyond recognition during the unrest, while two more bodies were later recovered from nearby farmlands, bringing the confirmed death toll to eight.

Police officers and other security personnel were subsequently deployed to the area to contain the situation and prevent further violence.

Authorities also rescued five people, including a woman, who were trapped during the attacks and evacuated them to safety at the Argungu Police Station.

Following the incident, the Kebbi State Government imposed a curfew on Gulma and surrounding communities as part of efforts to restore peace and prevent renewed hostilities.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Bello Sani, appealed for calm and urged residents not to take the law into their own hands.

He assured that a full investigation had commenced and warned that all those involved in the killings would be identified and prosecuted.

Police said joint security patrols and surveillance operations have been intensified across the area, adding that normalcy is gradually returning.

The latest bloodshed highlights recurring tensions between farming and pastoral communities across parts of northwestern Nigeria, where disputes over farmland, grazing routes and water resources frequently trigger deadly confrontations.

Security agencies have repeatedly warned that unresolved farmer-herder conflicts remain one of the major drivers of communal violence in several rural communities across the region.