At least seven people were killed on Sunday (11 February) as violence attributed to Fulani herdsmen continued in Nigeria, local news site This Day reported.
In Kaduna State, four people were hacked to death in Bakin Kogi village, of Jama’a local government area. The victims were returning from their farms, where they had gone to tap palm wine. A lady who survived the attack was said to have sustained serious injuries from gunshots and was rushed to hospital.
Three more people were killed in neighbouring Plateau State, ambushed while returning home by motorcycle in Zangwra, Miango district, Bassa local government area. Two others reportedly escaped with injuries.
Violence attributed to Fulani herdsmen has become recurrent in Nigeria, with attacks happening almost on a daily basis.
Last week, Catholic bishops expressed their concern over the ongoing violence during a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. They accused the government of being “incapable or unwilling” to protect citizens from Fulani attacks.
“Innocent citizens in different communities across the nation are brutally attacked and their sources of livelihood mindlessly destroyed,” they said.
“Property, worth billions of Naira, including places of worship, schools, hospitals and business enterprises, are torched and turned to ashes.
“We are still more saddened by the recent massacre of unarmed citizens by these terrorists in some communities in Benue, Adamawa, Kaduna and Taraba states, which has caused national shock, grief and outcry.”
Meanwhile, a top traditional ruler on Sunday called on media to avoid “ethnic profiling” in their reports.
The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido, said Fulanis were “neither terrorists nor criminals”, This Day reported.
He urged Fulanis to identify the criminals among them and report them to the law enforcement agencies for prosecution.