At least 15 people were killed in violence in northern and central Nigeria, police and local officials said on Thursday, in the latest unrest to hit the restive regions.
Police in Zamfara State said suspected cattle thieves killed 10 in raids on four remote villages on Wednesday — although a local resident said the toll was far higher — while nomadic cattle herders had killed five in Benue State since Tuesday.
In Zamfara State, armed bandits stormed villages in the Birnin Magaji area in an apparent reprisal after local militia killed one of their members.
Police Spokesman, Mohammed Shehu, said“10 people were killed by the bandits.
“The report states that, the attackers fled to the Rugu forest in neighbouring Katsina State.”
In Benue State, the Head of the Logo Local Government Area, Richard Nyajo, said four people, including two brothers, were killed on Tuesday and a fifth on Wednesday.
He blamed cattle herders who he said had “taken over” forests in the area and had been ambushing victims on the road. Five people were killed in the same area last week.
Benue State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, warned against attributing the latest killings to the conflict and said it “could be a normal crime.”
source : punch
