Suspected herders hacked to death a vigilante member identified as Bello Musa Madachi at Yaba village market in Abaji Area Council of the FCT.
A resident of Yaba, Alhassan Ibrahim, who spoke to the Daily Trust said the incident happened on Saturday afternoon, December 16, 2023, when a clash broke out between some vigilantes and herders at the community market.
He said the clash ensued after some vigilante members allegedly impounded the motorcycles of some herders who came to market.
He said the impoundment of some of the herders’ motorcycles angered their kinsmen who mobilised in their numbers to engage the vigilantes, which he said resulted in a free-for-all at the market.
“Is like the Fulani have been angry with the way the vigilantes has been harassing and impounding their motorcycles, especially on Yaba market days, which made them mobilise to engage the vigilantes,” he said.
He said it was during the clash that one vigilante was killed and six others sustained machete cut injuries.
He said the six injured vigilante members were later conveyed to Abaji General Hospital and Ayaura Health Centre in the area, adding that two others with severe injuries were referred to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada.
It was gathered that the clash between vigilantes and herders at the market led to people at the market to scamper for safety when soldiers were immediately alerted from Abaji to the scene to control the situation.
Spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, SP Adeh Josephine, confirmed the incident, saying investigation is ongoing.
The PPRO stated that the command received a distress call from the DPO of Yaba Division that some members of the vigilante group and Fulani clashed at Yaba market.
She said it was upon receipt of the report that the DPO in charge of Yaba mobilised to the scene where 3 vigilante members with various degrees of matchet cut injuries were rescued and rushed to Abaji General Hospital.
“And preliminary investigations revealed that the clash erupted as a result of unlawful impoundment of Fulani’s motorcycles, even as the situation was brought to control and normalcy has been restored,” she said.
She said the incident is still under investigation by the Yaba Police Division.
