Vigilante Killed, 2 Injured In Gwagwalada Clash

There was tension in Dobi community in Gwagwalada area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which led to the destruction of houses and the killing of a vigilante in the community within the week.

Our correspondent gathered that a 32-year-old vigilante, Iliyasu Shuaibu Kolo, died while two others sustained matchet cut wounds.

A resident of Dobi, Samaila Yakubu while narrating the incident said the crisis started at around 6:pm Tuesday after a teenage Fulani allegedly moved cattle into a farm in the area.

He said the owner of the farm who is a native of the area arrested the Fulani boy and handed him over to a vigilante member in the area when he moved to the scene to see the damage caused by the cows.

“It was upon arriving at the farm and not knowing that some of the herders wielding machetes were hiding under a hill. And before the vigilante realised what was happening, some of the herders attacked him with cutlasses,” he said.

Yakubu said some residents who got information about the incident immediately mobilised to the farm, where he said two among the natives sustained matchet cuts when a hot argument broke out.

He said the vigilante member that sustained injuries later died while being conveyed to the hospital in Gwagwalada, and the remains were buried according to Islamic rites on Wednesday morning in the community.

Gwagwalada area council branch chairman of the Miyyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) Malam Umar Shehu, confirmed the clash, saying he was at a meeting with the chairman of the council, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri, but would call later for details.

Chairman of Gwagwalada area council, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri, has asked security agents to get those behind farmers/herders clashes at Dobi village.

Giri, who gave the charge when he was led by security agents on an assessment to the clash scene on Thursday, described the killing of the vigilante as barbaric and inhuman.

The chairman who also visited the family of the late vigilante, sympathised with them over the loss, while praying for the soul of the deceased to rest in peace and wished those injured quick recovery.

He commended the security agents for their proactive measures taken to forestall further breach of law and order while calling on residents of the area to remain calm and go about their lawful activities.