DEATH toll in Epogi, a riverine community in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, which was attacked by some suspected Fulani herdsmen last Saturday, has risen to 27.
Some women and children in the community have also been declared missing.
Director-General, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Ahmed Ibrahim Inga, made the disclosure in a media briefing held in his office, in Minna, the state capital, on Tuesday.
According to him, four corpses believed to be those of the natives were found floating on river on Monday, during an on-the-spot-assessment by the deputy governor, Ahmed Mohammed Ketso and some government functionaries.
It will be recalled that 20 worshippers and the Chief Imam of Epogi community mosque were killed in the early hours of last Saturday, during the invasion of the community by suspected Fulani herders.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Zubairu Muazu, he condemned the attack on the island community, while he promised that perpetrators would be brought to book.
In a related development, the Taraba State police command, on Tuesday, confirmed the death of three persons in fresh herdsmen and farmers conflict in Bali Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s spokesman, David Misal, told newsmen in Jalingo that the police had deployed additional personnel to Gazabu, Kungana, Tukun Ruwa, Utsua Daa and Kpenkpen villages, where the crisis occurred.
“Yes, we received reports that since Sunday, there has been series of attacks in the remote communities in Bali Local Government Area of the state, but the command is on top of the situation.
“Due to the remoteness of the affected areas, we can confirm three deaths for now, but we will get back to you as soon as we get more updates,” he said.
Chairman, Council of Tiv Traditional Rulers Forum in Taraba, Zaki David-Gbaa, claimed that 11 farmers had died since the crisis started.
According to him, scores of people injured in the five villages were receiving treatment at the Bali General Hospital.
He said 1,765 people displaced by the crisis were taking refuge in three centres in Bali.
On his part, Lamido Bakundi, Alhaji Misa Gidado, in whose domain the crisis broke out, told newsmen that a series of meetings with stakeholders were on to end the crisis.
Meanwhile, hope has risen to end the crisis between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria as African Union (AU) will, in its next conference, wade into the crisis.
This was disclosed in Abuja by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, at the town hall meeting organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture.
Speaking at the meeting, Chief Ogbeh said the clash between farmers and herdsmen had become a security issue that needed to be tackled.
He said a memo on the crisis was sent to President Muhammadu Buhari, which he had taken to AU and other West African countries, adding that in the next AU conference, stakeholders would be engaged to find out ways to tackle the crisis.
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