Three people have been killed and over 30 others injured in a communal clash between Boku and Doko communities in Lavun local government area of Niger state.
Several houses and vehicles were destroyed and many cows, goats and sheep were stolen in the Boku community.
According to The Nation, the attack was a result of a land dispute which has been between the two communities for several years and efforts to settle it amicably have proved abortive.
The attack which led to the death of the deceased persons was a reprisal attack by the Doko community on the Boku Community.
It was gathered that while efforts to settle the dispute was ongoing, some youths from Doko went to apply chemicals to the farm under dispute and was attacked by the youths of the Boku community.
The youths in Doko community mobilized themselves and went down to Boku in reaction to the attack on their kinsmen.
A resident of Boku community, Mohammed Alikali confirmed that two persons died instantly during the attack while the third person died at Federal Medical Center Bida while receiving treatment.
He alleged that the deceased all died from gunshot injuries.
Mr Alikali disclosed that Boku Community has been deserted for fear of further attacks adding that the villagers are squatting in the neighbouring villages.
The Vice President of the Doko Progressive Forum, Samuel Isah, also confirmed the attack but stated that two people were killed.
According to him, efforts have been made for the past three weeks to broker peace but it yielded no result adding that the attack would have been averted if the two communities had embraced peace.
He stated that the Etsu Nupe who is the Emir of Bida, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar and other relevant authorities are making efforts to resolve the dispute stressing the need for all affected parties to sheath their swords.
Mr Isah expressed sadness over the incident adding that the case is currently before the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to fish out the perpetrators and resolve the dispute.
The Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the incident said that investigation is ongoing to fish out the perpetrators insisting that they would not go unpunished.
He also stated that normalcy has been restored to both communities.
