Local sources have reported that dozens of ethnic Fulani herders were killed during a raid carried out by a state supported militia working alongside Nigerian military forces.
According to those sources, the operation also involved vigilante groups from neighboring Benin and targeted Fulani communities accused of collaborating with the jihadist group Ansaru. The attack took place in settlements around Kabe in Borgu, near the border with Niger state, and was accompanied by widespread arrests.
Witnesses say security personnel conducted door to door searches in Fulani settlements, detaining young men suspected of acting as informants. Individuals who resisted arrest were reportedly shot.
A local community leader, Ahmad Ali from Konkoso village, said that 41 suspected informants were killed during the operation, while many others were taken into custody. He described the raid as a joint effort between Nigerian vigilantes, their counterparts from Benin, and Nigerian soldiers.
The Nigerian military has not confirmed the incident. A spokesperson declined to comment immediately, stating that more information was needed. Authorities in Benin have also not responded to inquiries, leaving it unclear whether their military was officially involved.
Niger state, like much of central and northwestern Nigeria, has long struggled with violence from armed groups known locally as “bandits,” who engage in cattle rustling, kidnappings, and attacks on rural communities. In recent years, jihadist organizations have expanded their presence into the region, raising concerns about links between bandit groups and extremist fighters.
Tensions have been further inflamed by allegations that some Fulani individuals have been recruited by jihadist groups, leading to retaliatory violence against Fulani civilians. Analysts warn that such reprisals risk worsening the conflict by driving more people toward armed groups.
Fulani communities, many of whom rely on herding for their livelihoods, have also faced economic hardship due to restrictions on cattle trading imposed in response to insecurity. At the same time, they are frequently victims of violence themselves.
Separately, Amnesty International recently called for an investigation into the deaths of 150 Fulani individuals at a military-run camp in Kwara state, where displaced people had sought refuge from escalating violence.
Accounts of last week’s raid vary slightly. A humanitarian worker estimated the death toll at 38 and attributed the violence to vigilante groups from both Nigeria and Benin.
A resident of Kabe, who gave his name as Abubakar, described the operation as a preemptive strike following threats from Fulani herders. He said tensions had escalated after two herders accused of links to Ansaru were killed in the nearby community of Sabalunna.
In retaliation, Ansaru fighters reportedly attacked and burned Sabalunna, warning against further targeting of their members. Abubakar said some herders had threatened to disrupt farming activities during the rainy season by attacking farmers in their fields, further heightening fears in the region.
- Latest
- Trending
