A violent clash between Hausa and Fulani residents of Gwadabawa Local Government Area of Sokoto State has reportedly resulted in the loss of lives.
According to a resident of the area, Aminu Bello, the crisis began when Hausa locals attempted to rescue their members who were allegedly kidnapped by Fulani in the community.
Bello disclosed that the conflict stemmed from the consistent harassment that Hausa locals had endured from the Fulani.
Alleged shoot-out between the two communities resulted in casualties, including security agents deployed to restore law and order. Bello confirmed that the Fulani had captured and killed an old man, which provoked them to prepare for an attack.
The military was already deployed when the Fulani attacked, and a soldier was killed in the exchange of gunfire. On the Fulani side, casualties were also recorded, with one victim hospitalized following gunshot wounds.
The Chairman of the local government acknowledged that there is no peace in the area as the Fulani continue to threaten to attack towns they believe have mistreated them. He called for increased security measures to ensure the safety of residents.
The Police in Sokoto confirmed an escalation of banditry activities in some communities in the Gwadabawa Local Government Area, which has led to rising tensions in some villages within the council.
The Police spokesman, DSP Sanusi Abubakar, confirmed ongoing joint military operations with personnel of the State police command to address the situation.
However, Sanusi could not confirm that the violence was between the Fulani and Hausa communities, as details of the alleged violence were still emerging.
Several persons including a security operative have been feared killed following a violent conflict between the Fulani and Hausa people residing in Gwadabawa community of Sokoto State.
The casualties of the incident, which occurred on Friday, April 7, 2023, were said to have been recorded on both sides.
A local official in the community, Aminu Gwadabawa told VOA Hausa in an interview on Saturday that residents of the area are currently living in fear.
Reports quoting a survivor said: “The Fulani attacked my relation with knives. But he has spiritual powers that would not allow sharp objects to pierce his body. So they intensified the attack on him and succeeded in hacking his head off his body.”
Similarly, a Fulani man who survived the violent communal clash, narrated his ordeal.
He said: “I was shot twice but I survived. I begged them not to kill me, but they shot at me.”
The VOA Hausa reported that when the police in Sokoto were contacted, they said they were still waiting for details of the attack.
Scores were reportedly killed during the conflict, while others sustained injuries.
Attacks allegedly by Fulani bandits are not new in the area. Recently, bandits reportedly raided communities in Rabah and other locations in the State.
