Local officials report that at least 13 farmers were killed on Wednesday in a vicious attack by armed men in Niger State, north-central Nigeria. The killing occurred in an area already under pressure from bloody disputes over land and water supplies between rural farmers and migratory herders.
Although no group has yet admitted responsibility for the deaths, local government official Akilu Isyaku told Crystal FM that the attack was carried out by kidnappers and herders. He said that the farmers might have been singled out for supplying security agency intelligence on the movements of the gunmen.
North-central is With hundreds of deaths in the continuous struggle for control over important resources, Nigeria has become a hotspot for violent conflicts this year. Once skirmishes fought with sticks have developed into lethal fights involving weapons imported into the nation. Apart from conflicts over land and water, the violence has a religious component when militias develop along religious lines—Muslim herders and mostly Christian farmers.
Furthermore, it is well-known for regular kidnappings. Further underlining the worsening security scenario, gunmen kidnapped at least 20 students during an ambush in Benue State last week. Using the little security presence, armed groups in the area launch ambushes along main roads and raids on communities. Often held captive until enormous ransoms—sometimes totaling hundreds of dollars—are paid, victims are
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Usually lasting hours, these strikes see the offender running before security agents can act. Notwithstanding the continuous violence, arrests are still rare, leaving communities exposed and the offenders unpunished. At least 140 people were killed in December in a two-day attack on more than a dozen towns, a sobering reminder of the unrest of the area.
The growing violence in north-central Nigeria emphasizes the need for more security and efforts at conflict resolution in the area. The need for justice and protection gets progressively louder as long as communities suffer.
