The police have confirmed that a farmer was killed on Thursday in a clash between locals and herders in the Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
Villagers suspected that 40-year-old Irmiya Yohanna was killed by herders who had trespassed on his farm with their cows.
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After they found his body on the farm, the villagers killed 20 cows and 19 sheep in reprisal attacks on herders.
The police said their state commissioner, Aliyu Sani-Omolori, visited the scene after a complaint.
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In a statement by their spokesperson, Ahmed Wakil, the police said the officers recovered 249 cows and arrested a suspect.
“On receipt of the report, a team of policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), SP Fitoka Golda, swung into action, visited the scene, and moved the deceased to Bogoro General Hospital, where a medical doctor certified him dead,” Mr Wakil said.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased was suspected to have been killed by anonymous people. Subsequently, some irate locals invaded a nearby cattle herd, stabbed and killed approximately 20 cows and 19 sheep, and several were injured. In comparison, about 249 cows were rescued by the police, and one Ahmadu Mairiga was successfully arrested. He is suspected to be responsible for the tragic death of Irmiya Yohanna,” Mr Wakil said in the statement posted on Facebook.
Mr Wakil said Mr Sani-Omolori urged residents to remain calm after visiting the area. He warned against further violence. “Justice will be served accordingly,” he said.
Government Intervention
The incident followed a similar one in the Darazo Local Government Area of the state.
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Due to the frequency of cases, which have claimed lives and caused injuries, Governor Bala Mohammed last week established a land allocation committee, comprising community leaders and security and land officers, to ensure that the rights of all parties are protected in land allocation.
“We need to come together and appreciate each other. We will work with all leaders, including the district heads and community leaders, to find a lasting solution to this problem,” the governor said, as reported by the Punch newspaper.
