1 killed in fresh skirmishes between farmers, herders in Nasarawa

One Hassan Sabo Papalolo has been killed while three other people sustained injuries in skirmishes between Fulani herders and farmers in Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Papalolo was killed in Awe market during skirmishes between some youths in Awe town and Fulani herders shortly after an injured farmer Yunusa Makeri and two herders were brought to hospital with machete wounds following a clash on the outskirts of Awe.

Makeri was said to have had a misunderstanding with two Fulani herders over his rice farm.

The situation got worse when the three people were brought to the general hospital in Awe, and the youths in Awe insisted that only the farmer would be treated while the two herders should not be attended to. It took the intervention of the paramount ruler, Emir of Awe Alhaji Abubakar Umar, who personally talked to the aggrieved youths and went round to calm the situation.

The Nasarawa State Police Public Relations Officer, Idrisu Kennedy, who confirmed the skirmishes, said that the deceased was not a farmer but was part of the youths who protested against the destruction of farmlands.

He added the late Papaplolo lost his life when he and other youths stormed a particular place where Fulani herders gathered to revenge the attack on the injured farmer (Makeri) and someone stabbed him to death. He said however that the police had restored law and order in Awe.

The state chairman of Miyatti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) Muhammed Hussaini told Daily Trust that the vigilante in Awe had arrested one herder who destroyed the crops of the farmer that led to the skirmishes.

He said that youths in Awe who overreacted to the incidents in the general hospital were responsible for the escalation of the crisis and appealed to both farmers and herders to exercise restraint.