Another resident recounted how gunmen stormed the community, firing sporadically and setting properties ablaze, forcing villagers to flee into nearby bushes.
Tension has gripped the Maraba/Masaka axis of Nasarawa State on the outskirts of Abuja following a violent clash between herders and local vigilantes that left at least three herdsmen dead and several houses burnt.
Sources told NaijaTrendCompass that the incident occurred between late Tuesday night and the early hours of Wednesday, triggering panic among residents of Aso community, near a primary school in the area.
The violence reportedly erupted after the body of a man suspected to be a herder was discovered under unclear circumstances, prompting what residents described as a reprisal attack by armed herders.
“People believed to be Fulani herders came in large numbers early this morning. They were armed and started attacking people. They burnt houses and chased residents away,” a local source said.
Another resident recounted how gunmen stormed the community, firing sporadically and setting properties ablaze, forcing villagers to flee into nearby bushes.
“The attack was around the primary school in Aso. People ran for their lives. Some houses were completely razed,” the resident added.
Confirming the incident to NaijaTrendCompass on Wednesday, Nasarawa Police Command Public Relations Officer, Ramhan Nansel, said the violence began after a Fulani herder allegedly encroached on farmland and attempted to harvest mangoes to feed his cattle, sparking a confrontation with the farm owner and local vigilantes.
He explained that during the altercation, a vigilante reportedly shot the herder dead, which provoked outrage among Fulani youths who later mobilised for a reprisal attack on the community.
He said, “An incident like that happened between last night and the early hours of this morning. Information was received that a corpse of a Fulani man was found, and due to that, the Fulani people came for reprisal.
“Our investigation revealed that the herder encroached into somebody’s farmland and tried to harvest mango trees to feed his cattle. A fight broke out, and a vigilante shot the herder, leading to his death and this crisis.”
“So far, the CP has deployed security to the area, and normalcy has been restored. Three corpses of Fulani herdsmen have been recovered and taken to the hospital, while one suspect has been arrested,” the statement added.
The Maraba/Masaka corridor, bordering the Federal Capital Territory, has witnessed recurring tensions linked to farmer-herder conflicts, often driven by disputes over land use, grazing routes, and access to resources.
