Three Killed in Nasarawa Clash Following Dispute Over Mango Tree
A violent clash in Nigeria’s Nasarawa State on Wednesday left three people dead and several others injured, highlighting ongoing tensions between herders and local security personnel in the region.
The incident occurred around 9 a.m. in the Aso A area of the Maraba Gurku community, within the Karu Local Government Area. According to multiple accounts, the confrontation began with a dispute between a mobile police officer and a herder. A source familiar with the event stated that the herder allegedly entered the officer’s compound with his cattle and began cutting down a mango tree to feed the animals.
This alleged trespass escalated rapidly. The officer reportedly drew his firearm and shot the herder dead. In retaliation, approximately 50 associates of the deceased herder mobilised to the scene and set the officer’s residence on fire. During the ensuing chaos, a neighbour who arrived at the location was shot and killed.
A local resident described the scene: “We started hearing shouts and gunshots in the neighborhood. We rushed out and discovered that a group of herders had invaded the mobile policeman’s residence.”
Police authorities have confirmed the incident but provided a slightly different sequence of events. Ramhan Nansel, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Nasarawa Command, stated that investigations indicated an attempt to cut down a mango tree preceded the violence. He clarified that a vigilante member, not the mobile police officer, fired the initial fatal shot. That vigilante member has been arrested.
Mr. Nansel further explained that when military reinforcements arrived, a separate encounter occurred between soldiers and the herders, resulting in two additional fatalities. “There was an encounter between the soldiers and the herders where two more people were fatally injured. They were rushed to the hospital where they were confirmed dead,” he said.
The police spokesperson added that the families of all deceased individuals have been contacted, and police are mediating with the community to prevent further reprisal attacks. The Commissioner of Police has deployed additional security personnel to the area. Normalcy has since been restored, though investigations remain ongoing.
This clash underscores the persistent and often volatile farmer-herder conflicts in parts of Nigeria, where competition over land and resources frequently leads to deadly confrontations. The swift mobilisation of large groups and the involvement of both vigilantes and military forces reflect the complex security challenges in the region. Authorities have emphasised their commitment to de-escalating the situation and ensuring a thorough investigation into the exact circumstances surrounding the deaths.
