Ethnic clash kills 15 in Kebbi as residents flee homes
Residents of the Lafagu community in the Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State have evacuated their homes following an ethnic clash that resulted in the deaths of 15 individuals, including village head Alhaji Sa’idu Mujeli.
As tensions remain high, many affected individuals have sought refuge in Bagudo town. The violence reportedly involved clashes between members of the Fulani and Kambari communities, with the nearby Buya community also affected.
According to information obtained by Daily Post, the situation escalated after an earlier confrontation between the two groups, leading to retaliatory attacks. Kebbi State Commissioner of Police Umar Muhammad Hadejia confirmed the fatalities and reported the arrest of six suspects in connection with the violence. Three of the suspects are being detained at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) office in Kaoje, and three others at the CID office in Birnin Kebbi.
Hadejia stated that the unrest initiated after the reported killings of two individuals, which prompted a subsequent retaliatory assault in Lafagu. The confrontation led to the deaths of Mujeli and 14 others from both the Lafagu and Buya communities.
A family member of the deceased village head alleged that the violence began with attacks on Fulani residents in the area. He claimed that some attackers entered Lafagu, conducting searches from house to house for Fulani individuals. According to the family member, the assailants eventually reached the village head’s home, abducted him, set his house on fire, and killed him at a separate location.
The recent violence has instilled fear among local residents, prompting many to abandon their homes in search of safety in Bagudo town. Security personnel have been deployed to the affected areas to restore order and prevent further incidents.
Authorities continue to investigate the identities of those responsible for the killings, amid conflicting accounts regarding the events that led to the violence.
