Herder in Niger State allegedly kills man in his farm
Story from Hamzat Ibrahim ABAGA
Ezhin community in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State was rocked by tragedy as they mourned the sudden death of Abdullahi Idris Ezhin, a 41-year-old farmer who was reportedly attacked and killed by a Fulani herder while defending his irrigation farm from intrusion by the assailant’s cattle.
According to reports, the fatal confrontation unfolded when Abdullahi resisted leaving his farm for Friday prayers, a time when herders frequently encroach upon the community’s farmland with their livestock. Allegedly accusing Abdullahi of defiance, the herder assaulted him with a cutlass, resulting in his demise.
In response to Abdullahi’s killing, enraged local youths reportedly sought retribution by taking the law into their own hands, resulting in the death of the suspect at the Vigilante Office in the area.
The swift retaliation prompted a response from the Divisional Police Station Lapai, mobilising a Quick Response Operation led by the District Police Officer (DPO) to the scene.
READ ALSO: ISWAP kills 21 Fulani herdsmen in Borno
This tragic incident has plunged the Ezhin community into mourning, exacerbated by the fact that Abdullahi’s family has previously endured a similar tragedy. In 2009, Abdullahi’s elder brother, Mallam Shuaibu Ezhin, also lost his life in a comparable confrontation.
Despite attempts to gather more information from the State police spokesman, further details were unavailable at the time of reporting. The community remains in a state of shock and sorrow as they grapple with the loss of Abdullahi, leaving behind his wife and nine children.
