250 displaced by Fulani/Gbagyi clash in Niger

No fewer than 250 people have been displaced due to a clash between Fulani herdsmen and Gwagyi farmers in Niger state.

The clash led to the death of four persons and destruction of property in Bara-kuta in Bosso Local Government Area on Friday.

Malam Ahmed Inga, Director General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), made this known in Minna on Tuesday.

He said the displaced people were being resettled in a school in Bosso while reconciliation was ongoing toward returning them to their homes.

“The State Government has established links with the herdsmen and the farmers toward restoring lasting peace in the area to enable the Gwagyis go back to their homes and attend to their farms.

“We have to do everything possible to make sure that peace returns to the community to ensure the security of lives and property”, he said.

Inga explained that the peace initiative was being brokered by the state’s Commissioner for Sports Development, Alhaji Mamman Bosso, the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umaru Bahago as well as security agencies.

The Director General added that 167 houses were burnt while 17 motorcycles and other property were destroyed during the clash.

He said the state government had provided food, medicals and security for the IDPs in the camp.

Ings said relief materials were also being provided to the IDP’s by NGOs, religious bodies and individuals in the state.

Mrs. Salamatu Bala, one of the IDPs and a mother of three, called on the government to speed up the process of returning them to their homes.

“We thank government and others for taking care of us here. But we want to go back home to build back our lives as we have lost a lot from this incident”, she said.

Gov. Sani Bello had visited the community on Monday where he sued for peace and pledged to bring perpetrators of the violence to book.