At least six people including a policeman and a vigilante operative have reportedly lost their lives, following clashes between farmers and herdsmen in Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that the first incident occurred on Wednesday when herdsmen invaded a farm at Sangere area on the outskirt of Yola.
The vigilante guarding the farm, Gibson Nathan, reportedly resisted the invasion, leading to a clash with the Fulani herdsmen.
Witnesses said they hacked Mr Nathan to death beyond recognition with axes, after which they allowed the cattle to graze in the farm.
The second attack occurred on Friday at Tudun-Hassan village near popular Malkohi IDP’s Camp of the same local government area.
Sources said a family of four was harvesting crop when a group of herdsmen shepherded their cattle into the farm.
“By the time they asked the rearers what informed their action, the next thing was physical assault and use of dangerous weapons.
“The herdsmen killed them all. A policeman who resided near the area was also killed by the herdsmen when he rushed to the scene to intervene,” said Baba Abdu, a local farmer.
The third clash occurred on Saturday when farmers at Tashan Jinga village in Yola South Local Government Area were working in their farm.
Sources said the farmers, sensing the danger, sent in a distress call to Agro-Rangers unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, Adamawa State Command.
Rushing to rescue the distressed farmers and their crop, the team of the agro-rangers engaged the herdsmen. Witness said two officers sustained injuries in the clash.
“The Hilux vehicle used in the operation was badly smashed by the herdsmen while one of their rifles was carted away by the herdsmen,” security sources have said.
Confirming the incident, spokesman of the NSCDC in the state, Suleiman Baba, said, “it was true that their men on rescue operation were attacked by some herdsmen along ‘Welcome to Yola’ area on Saturday.
“The Agro-Rangers were ambushed on their way to the scene of the clash.
“During this fierce battle, two officers were injured. The officer that was beaten and macheted is hospitalized at Yola Specialist Hospital,” said he.
Mr Baba confirmed that the command lost a rifle to herdsmen during the attack.
While expressing optimism that they would recover the missing rifle, he said two suspects were apprehended.
Spokesman for Adamawa Police Command, Othman Abubakar, confirmed the killing of the vigilante operative but said he was yet to be officially briefed on the other incidents.
Mr Abubakar, a superintendent of police, said the only reported case of clash known to him was the one of Yolde-Patte suburb where the police seized over two hundred cows that destroyed crop.
He said the owners of the cows had agreed to pay for the damage caused by their animals.
