Herders kill farmers, burn crop harvests in Gombe communities

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Two persons have been reported killed following two days of clashes between crop farmers and cattle herders in Powushi and Kalindi villages in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State.

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Residents said the attack also led to the destruction of vital agricultural produce.

A resident of the area, Christina Anthony, told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview that the conflict began on Monday when a group of herders robbed a resident of Kalindi who was riding his motorcycle to his farm.

“The herders attacked the man and stole his motorcycle. After he returned home, he shared his harrowing experience with the youth in the community.

“A group of locals tracked the herders and recovered the stolen bike. However, the situation escalated dramatically when the herders returned on Wednesday and attacked the villagers,” she said.

Another resident, Adams Mailaka, also told this reporter that the violence on Wednesday began at Powushi before extending to Kalindi, leading to the death of two individuals.

“Yesterday’s (Wednesday) attack started in the afternoon when the herders invaded Powushi, a village neighbouring Kalindi and set farm produce on fire. As a result, one person was killed. Again, they continued at night and killed another person. Many have sustained injury and are in the hospital receiving treatment”, he said.

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He identified the deceased victims as Yusuf Akwara, 35, and a 30-year-old man he simply called Gad.

Mr Mailaka said many residents had fled Powushi and Kalindi to seek refuge in nearby villages as fear and uncertainty gripped the area.

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between farmers and herders in the region.

Ineffectiveness of security operatives

The residents lamented the “ineffectiveness of security operatives” in addressing their security concerns.

Amos Danbauchi, a resident, said security operatives were slow to respond to distress calls, only responding after a representative was sent to the police division in Billiri LGA on Wednesday.

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“Upon their arrival, the operatives merely observed the situation without taking decisive action,” Mr Danbauchi said.

He expressed disappointment that the security agencies did not deploy more operatives to the area to avert the second attack on Wednesday.

The communities urged the government to intervene and beef up security to prevent further attacks.

Police speak

When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, Ahmed Sanda, the divisional police officer (DPO) in charge of Billiri LGA, declined to comment.

However, the divisional crime officer (DCO), Garba Sambo, said the police had deployed officers to the area.