Gunmen kill village head in Kebbi

Gunmen have killed the village head of Lafagu in Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, confirmed the killing in a text message. He said it happened on Sunday.

Usman did not reveal the name of the deceased traditional ruler.

He mentioned that the police have arrested some suspects linked to the case and will share more details after their investigations.

"Yes, it is true the village head was killed in Lafagu under Bagudo Local Government. We have made some arrests in respect of the incident and will provide details later," the PPRO said.

Possible Links to Ethnic Militia

Our correspondent found that the killing might be related to an armed ethnic group in the area, not just bandits or Lakurawa insurgents.

A source named Tukur Kaoje spoke to PUNCH Metro on Sunday. He said that Fulani, Kambarawa, and Bargawa communities had coexisted peacefully for years. But recently, there has been a rise in insecurity, connected to cattle rustling and kidnapping.

He added that following the reported infiltration of some areas by Lakurawa fighters, residents from Bargawa and Kambarawa accused Fulani people of being behind the attacks. This led them to form armed groups to fight back.

Kaoje claimed that the militia recently attacked Boya village, killing several Fulani people.

He said, "Yes, the village head was beheaded in Lafagu, but we are not sure whether the killers were bandits or Lakurawa. There are allegations that it was carried out by an armed ethnic militia."

Tension in Lafagu

Kaoje described the situation in Lafagu and nearby areas as tense. He urged the government to step in quickly to prevent further violence.

He warned that if the situation is not handled, it could lead to larger communal conflicts and make the crisis harder to manage.