45 farmers killed in latest Nasarawa violence

At least 45 people were killed in renewed hostilities in Lafia, Obi and Awe local government areas of Nasarawa State, the presidency has said.

Details of the violence are still sketchy but President Muhammmadu Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, described the 45 slain victims as ‘farmers,’ thus indicating they may have been killed by armed herders.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed grief over the heart-wrenching murder of 45 farmers and scores injured following renewed hostilities in Lafia, Obi and Awe Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State,” Mr Shehu wrote in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.

“President Buhari said the sympathies of the entire nation were with the affected families.

“I assure the people with all seriousness and sensitivity that this administration is doing its best to safeguard the security of people and will leave no stone unturned in fishing out the perpetrators of this senseless and barbaric incident, and bring them to justice,” the president was quoted as saying.

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Mr Shehu said the president also expressed condolences to the government and people of Nasarawa State, and expressed satisfaction with the immediate response of the state government to the incident.

The latest killings in Nasarawa add to the worsening security situation across Nigeria.

Apart from killings and attacks on farming communities by armed, nomadic herders, attacks are also carried out by bandits who have killed hundreds of people, mainly in the North-west region in 2021.