Farmer-Herder Clash Claims 3 Lives, Triggers Curfew In Nasarawa

At least three persons have been killed in a clash between farmers and herders in Karmo community, Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, following a dispute over the destruction of crops by cattle.

The violence, which occurred last Wednesday, also left several houses and motorcycles destroyed, while the local council chairman imposed a curfew to prevent further breakdown of law and order.

A source, who is an official of the council, told LEADERSHIP in a telephone interview on Sunday that the incident began when cattle strayed into a farm and destroyed crops belonging to a woman.

According to the source, the woman confronted the herder over the destruction of her crops but was allegedly told that there was nothing she could do about it.

He said the disagreement escalated into an argument, during which the herder allegedly attacked the woman with a machete, hitting her on the head.

“Following a heated argument, the herder attacked the woman with a machete on the head. She collapsed and died in the process,” the source said.

The source added that youths in the community mobilised to the Fulani settlement after learning of the woman’s death, leading to a violent confrontation in which two other persons were killed.

He further disclosed that the herders subsequently launched a reprisal attack on the community, setting houses and other property ablaze.

Several motorcycles were also reportedly burnt during the violence, with property destroyed on both sides.

Following the development, the Chairman of Toto Local Government Area, Pharmacist Ahmed Baba Yahaya, declared a curfew in Karmo and neighbouring communities after a security meeting with traditional rulers and security chiefs.

Yahaya directed security personnel to ensure strict enforcement of the curfew, explaining that the measure was necessary to prevent hoodlums from exploiting the crisis to cause further violence.

Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Government has appealed to residents of Karmo to remain calm and refrain from taking the law into their hands.

The Secretary to the State Government, Dr Labaran Magaji, SAN, made the appeal on Saturday during a visit to the community to commiserate with the families of the victims and assess the extent of the destruction.

He condemned the attack that triggered the crisis, describing the initial violence as avoidable and the reprisal that followed as totally unnecessary.

Magaji described the deaths as painful for the community and assured residents that the state government would not abandon those affected.

He said he was in the community to convey Governor Abdullahi Sule’s message of sympathy to the victims’ families, adding that the Toto Local Government chairman and the council’s Chief Security Officer were already engaging affected parties in a peace meeting.

The SSG further disclosed that Governor Sule had dispatched a high-level team to assess the situation and determine the assistance required by victims of the crisis.

He urged well-meaning individuals to support affected residents through humanitarian assistance rather than politicising the incident.