Communal Clash Claims Eight in Niger

Not fewer than 8 persons have been confirmed killed in a communal conflict that broke out between the Gaba and Anfani communities in the Lavun Local Government Area of Niger state.

THISDAY findings revealed that the incident occurred precisely on Thursday, noting that some of the victims of the communal clash were beheaded.

On account told THISDAY that one of the victims had his two feet cut off, tracing that the dispute between the communities to a parcel of land which the Gaba community were said to have given to their Anfani counterparts over 50 years ago.

A Niger State High Court sitting in Bida was said to have ruled in favour of the Gaba community last week directing the Anfani community to vacate the land.

THISDAY learnt that to enforce the court decision, the Gaba community sent 11 men to the disputed land to carry out its survey. One of the eleven people was a surveyor from the State Ministry of Works.

According to another account, the people of Gaba laid ambush against their Anfani people, thereby slaughtering them like goats. The assailants were assisted by some people from Emikpan village a development that made them to overpower them.

However, it was gathered that the surveyor was spared after it was discovered that he was not a native of Gaba.