Three persons have been reportedly killed during an invasion of suspected Fulani herdsmen in Antsa village, Kwarra district, Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
NigeriaCrime.com gathered that the attack was a reprisal attack over the death of a Fulani man, who was attacked by suspected armed robbers near a Tiv settlement on his way from Kadarko to Kwara village.
Residents in the community claimed that the incident occurred when a Fulani man was travelling along with a Tiv man on a motorcycle on the Kadarko- Kwarra, but they ran into gunmen, who ambushed, shot and killed the Fulani man.
One of the residents who spoke on the condition of anonymity said “The Fulani man was shot dead by the armed robbers, who attacked the two of them on their way to Kwarra but the Tiv man escaped with bullet wounds and ran into the bush. The next day, some Fulani herdsmen carrying AK 47 invaded Antsa and other villages and started shooting at the villagers.
“So far, three persons have been killed while others are receiving treatment at various hospitals and those of us who survived the attack left our homes.”
He alleged that the Fulanis mobilised their cows and destroyed crops estimated at about 30,000 heaters, while about 3, 000 persons displaced as a result of the invasion and attack were currently taking refuge at a public primary school in Kadarko, Keana Local Government Area of the state.
Further investigation, however, revealed that the Fulani man shot dead was being hunted by his kinsmen over recent grudges, while the Tiv man, who allegedly escaped into the bush has been arrested and is being detained at the state Criminal Investigation Department, CID, in Lafia.
Reacting to the incident, President, Tiv Development Association, TIDA, Peter Ahemba, who confirmed the incident, yesterday, described the attack on his kinsmen as unfortunate, calling on the state government to look into the issue.
“Based on the unprovoked attack on my kinsmen, I have reported the matter to Governor Abdullahi Sule and he has promised to contact the Commissioner of Police in the state to deploy police personnel to the affected communities to restore peace.
“I am, therefore, calling on the Tiv people, especially the youths to remain calm and not to take law into their hands despite the unprovoked attack on them as the state government is working assiduously to restore in the area,” he said.
Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ramhan Nansel said he was not aware of any attack as being claimed.