Gunmen have reportedly killed nine Tiv farmers in Gidan Sule community in the Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The bandits, according to President of Tiv Development Association in the state, Peter Ahemba, stormed the community on Saturday, armed with AK-47 rifles, shooting sporadically into the air, and killing nine people.
Some locals including children, women and aged parents escaped with bullet wounds while others are still missing at the time of this report.
Ahemba said five corpses were first recovered on Sunday morning and four other corpses were recovered from a bush in the community.
He lamented what he said was persistent unprovoked attacks on his kinsmen in recent time, adding that gunmen killed three people at Antsa village in Kwara, Keana local government Area of the state some weeks ago.
“After the Saturday attack on the Tiv people at Gidan Sule village where three people were reportedly killed by gunmen. I can confirm that on Sunday morning, six other corpses were recovered from the bush and more dead bodies are yet to be discovered,” Ahemba said.
Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in the state, Bala Muhammed-Dabo, said he was not aware of the killing of any Tiv farmer by herders.
He said, “I do not know if any Tiv person was killed. I only heard that a Fulani man and a Fulani woman who were on their way for grazing were recently attacked and killed by gunmen and they have both been buried according to Islamic rites.
“I have warned my people (Fulani Herdsmen) not to take laws into their hands as government is on top of the situation, and I will not support anyone who looks for trouble.”
As of the time of filing this report, efforts made to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, proved abortive as he did not respond to calls put across to his mobile lines.
