At least two farmers were killed on Thursday in Poto, a village in the Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, after a long-running land dispute with neighbouring Ketso village escalated into violence, residents and community leaders have said.
According to Sahara Reporters, the victims were identified as Mohammed Kudu, 42, and Manko Ibrahim, 41, both indigenes of Poto who were engaged in farming activities at the time of the attack.
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Residents said tensions flared around 2 p.m. when Usman Manko was allegedly assaulted by youths from Ketso village at a pedestrian bridge in the Gudzan–Poto axis while returning from Enagi, the headquarters of Edati Local Government Area.
Witnesses said the attackers threatened that their long-standing vow to invade Poto village and kill residents would be carried out the same day.
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Barely an hour later, at about 3 p.m., the violence reportedly escalated as armed youths from Ketso mobilised in large numbers and stormed farmlands around Poto village.
Residents said crops were destroyed and irrigation facilities, including solar-powered water pumps and panels, were vandalised.
Mohammed Kudu was reportedly attacked on his farm, where he had fallen asleep after working. Residents said he was killed and his body set ablaze, after which the assailants took the remains away.
From the farmlands, the attackers allegedly advanced towards the village. While several farmers fled, Manko Ibrahim, described by residents as a youth leader, reportedly stepped forward to calm tensions and prevent retaliation.
However, residents said another group of attackers arrived shortly after and assaulted him. He was allegedly struck on the head with a spear and attacked with locally made weapons, leading to his death.
“Ketso has been coming to our village with this kind of violence for over a decade,” said Muhammadu Shaba, a resident of Poto.
“They come in large numbers, sometimes with their leaders. After my son was beaten at the bridge, they made phone calls and mobilised. One group came to the village, the other went straight to the farms.”
He added that Mr Kudu was attacked while sleeping on his farm. “He was killed and his body set on fire. When they reached where our youths were farming, one of our leaders tried to intervene, but he was killed with a spear,” Mr Shaba said.
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The Chief Imam of Poto, Jibrin Mohammed, described the incident as devastating.
“This is the saddest moment of our lives. They killed my younger brother over land that belongs to us. They have always said land disputes do not end without bloodshed,” he said.
Residents also alleged that a letter, purportedly issued in the name of the emir’s palace, helped trigger the violence.
A security analyst, Lamidi Adeosun, a former Chief of Policy and Plans of the Nigerian Army, said recurring land disputes were driven by weak implementation of the Land Use Act and poor boundary delineation.
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