Two people have been confirmed dead and seven hospitalised, following a clash between Fulani pastoralists and vigilante at the weekly market in Beni, Bosso LGA of Niger State.
A resident of the area who spoke to Daily Trust said the incident happened around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, when the market was full of activities.
Confirming the incident, the Assistant Head of Medical Services at Beji Primary Healthcare Centre, Aliyu Yusuf, said nine victims were brought to the hospital with various degrees of bullet wounds.
He, however, said two of the victims were confirmed dead, while the remaining seven victims, all Fulani, were responding to treatment.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Commissioner for Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs, Umar Rabe Sanda, who also confirmed the incident, warned against any form of reprisal attack.
According to him, the state government would engage with all stakeholders towards finding a lasting solution to the rift between Fulani and Gbagyi farmers.
He also warned both parties to desist from taking laws into their hands, saying that there are various mechanisms of dispute resolution without resorting to violence.
The vice president, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Zone B, Abdullahi Mu’azu, said the clash disrupted the activities in the market on Wednesday, calling on the authorities to intervene to ensure that the incident does not repeat itself.
