Herders kill two, raze 146 houses in Yobe
• Reps seeks deployment of more personnel • Borno releases 500 detained terrorism suspects
SUSPECTED herdsmen have killed two persons in Gurjaje town and Dogon Kuka village, Fika Local Council, Yobe State, and razed 146 houses, thus leaving 1,686 residents homeless.
The House of Representatives has directed the Chief of Army Staff ( COAS) and Inspector General of Police ( IGP) to deploy more personnel to Yobe to reinforce security.
Meanwhile, Borno State Government has absolved 500 suspects of involvement in terrorism and released them from the Nigerian Army detention facility at Giwa Barracks, Maiduguri.
The pastoralists reportedly sneaked into the communities on motorcycles, armed with machetes, bows and arrows.
Confirming the incident, yesterday, in Damaturu, the Commissioner of Police ( CP), Tajudeen Abass, added: “We have deployed our men and officers to affected communities along Potiskum- Fika road; they are to restore law and order, as well as apprehend the fleeing herdsmen for alleged torching many houses.”
He noted that two farmers were killed while trying to protect their watermelon farms yet to be harvested for the forthcoming Ramadan fast.
On the cause of multiple attacks, the police boss said: “The suspected herders are on a reprisal attack against the farmers,” explaining that setting of houses ablaze followed alleged encroachment of cattle on the watermelon farmlands.
“Our security personnel were mobilised to the affected communities, to prevent reprisals, following an intelligence report.”
He said the displacement of over 1, 680 residents, who would be taking refuge in Fika and three other villages, led to the deployment of policemen to maintain law and order.
According to the village head, Usman Jidda, the aggrieved herdsmen, who claimed their cattle were rustled by some of the farmers, vowed to teach them a lesson.
Chairperson of the Caretaker Management Committee of Fika Council, Abubakar Idris, said the assailants attacked the community on Tuesday night.
When contacted, police spokesman, DSP Dungus Abdulkareem, said the attack happened as a result of a clash between the herders and people of Dogon Kuka in September 2023.
Mohammed Jajere ( PDP, Yobe) at plenary, yesterday, said the state of insecurity in Fika and environs had assumed a worrisome dimension.