NO fewer than 18 people have been killed in a series of violent attacks linked to a lingering land dispute in Niger State, with 15 victims reportedly burnt to death inside a two-bedroom apartment and three others shot dead in separate incidents in Rafi Local Government Area of the state.
News Point Nigeria reports that the victims were killed in the communities of Mararraban Gwadaro and Tashan Bako, where violence has continued to rage over a protracted land dispute. According to eyewitnesses who spoke with this newspaper, unidentified assailants stormed a house where 15 people were staying, set the building ablaze and burnt all the occupants to death.
The newspaper gathered that the crisis began on June 29 at about 11:30 p.m. in Godoro village when suspected armed men allegedly opened fire on 25-year-old Ibrahim Musa, killing him on the spot.
Following Musa’s death, a group of aggrieved persons who embarked on a reprisal mission reportedly blocked a major road and killed 28-year-old Bashir Mazi. The attack was allegedly connected to the lingering land dispute between two communities in the area.
A source in one of the affected communities, who requested anonymity, said the crisis involved members of the Fulani and Kamuku ethnic groups in Rafi Local Government Area.
According to the source, no fewer than 10 people had already been killed and several houses razed before the latest attack that claimed the lives of the 15 victims.
The source expressed concern that women and children had suffered the most among the casualties and appealed to security agencies as well as governments at all levels to urgently intervene and halt the escalating violence.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Rafi Local Government Area, Ayuba Katako, confirmed the incident but did not disclose the number of casualties recorded in the attacks.
Katako, however, assured residents and other stakeholders that investigations had commenced to identify those responsible for the killings and ensure they were brought to justice.
He said no responsible government would stand by while its citizens were being killed, adding that security operatives had already been deployed to the affected communities to restore order and end the violence.
“Yes, the crisis happened in my local government area but security agents have been drafted to halt the situation. No reasonable government will fold its hands and allow its people to be killed without stamping its authority to end the crisis,” he said.
The spokesman of the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, also confirmed the incident on Wednesday, saying investigations were ongoing to identify those behind the attacks.
According to him, the command received a report on June 30, 2026, at about 2:00 p.m., indicating that suspected armed men had, on June 29 at about 11:30 p.m., shot and killed Ibrahim Musa at Godoro village.
Abiodun added that following the killing, a group of Yansakai members blocked the road and killed Bashir Mazi, describing the attack as one allegedly linked to the lingering land dispute between two tribes in the area.
“On 30/6/2026 at about 2 pm, report received from Katako District Area of Rafi LGA indicated that on 29/6/2026 at about 11.30pm at Godoro village, suspected armed men fired gunshots at one Ibrahim Musa, 25 years, who died on the spot.
“As a result of this, a group of Yansakai people blocked the road and killed one Bashir Mazi, 28 years. This attack was allegedly linked to a lingering land crisis between two tribes in the area.
“However, investigation is ongoing to identify the perpetrators of this act, while a reconciliation committee headed by the local government council officials are working with the security agencies towards addressing the crisis, but normalcy is restored in the area,” Abiodun stated.
However, in an update issued on Thursday, the police spokesman disclosed that the death toll had risen significantly following another deadly attack in which 15 people were burnt alive inside a two-bedroom apartment.
“Furthermore, on 1/7/2026 at 10 pm report received indicated that fifteen persons were reportedly burnt to death in a two-bedroom flat at Angwan-Baago via Godoro village, while one other person was also killed at another location, bringing the total number of deaths to figure 18.
“However, a reconciliation committee headed by the local government council officials are working with the security agencies towards addressing the crisis, as joint Police and military patrols have been deployed to the area to restore peace,” Abiodun said.
The police said investigations were continuing to identify and apprehend those responsible for the killings, while the reconciliation committee, working alongside security agencies, had intensified efforts to restore lasting peace in the affected communities through sustained dialogue and enhanced security patrols.