Gunmen behead Kebbi village head

File photo: Illustration image of gunmen

Gunmen have killed and beheaded the village head of Lafagu community in Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, confirmed the killing in a text message, saying the incident occurred on Sunday.

Usman, however, did not disclose the identity of the deceased traditional ruler.

He said the police had arrested some suspects in connection with the incident and would provide further details after investigations.

“Yes, it is true the village head was killed in Lafagu under Bagudo Local Government. We have made some arrests in respect of the incident and will provide details later,” the PPRO said.

Meanwhile, findings by our correspondent suggest that the killing may be linked to an armed ethnic militia operating in the area rather than bandits or Lakurawa insurgents.

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A source, Tukur Kaoje, who spoke to PUNCH Metro on Sunday, said members of the Fulani, Kambarawa and Bargawa communities had lived together in the area for decades until the recent escalation of insecurity, allegedly associated with cattle rustling and kidnapping.

According to him, following the alleged infiltration of some communities by Lakurawa fighters, some residents of the Bargawa and Kambarawa communities reportedly accused Fulani residents of being behind the attacks and subsequently formed armed groups to confront them.

Kaoje alleged that the militia recently attacked Boya village, where scores of Fulani were reportedly killed.

He said, “Yes, the village head was beheaded in Lafagu, but we are not sure whether the killers were bandits or Lakurawa. There are allegations that it was carried out by an armed ethnic militia.”

He described the situation in Lafagu and neighbouring communities as tense, urging the government to urgently intervene to prevent further escalation.

He warned that failure to address the situation could lead to a wider cycle of communal violence and make the crisis increasingly difficult to contain.