Deadly communal clashes have erupted in Udege Kasa, Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, leaving over 20 people feared killed, several communities razed, and many residents displaced.
Eyewitnesses and community members who spoke to AIT said the violence, which occurred a day ago, involved Fulani herders and indigenous Afu communities.
Residents including Mark Noah, Mohammed Sani and Idris Ahmed alleged that armed attackers invaded the area, burning homes and killing residents, with several persons still missing.
The crisis is believed to have been triggered by a kidnapping incident in which a resident was abducted and ransom paid. However, tensions escalated after local vigilantes reportedly tracked down and killed two Fulani men suspected to be involved, only for it to later emerge that they were not connected to the crime.
The attacks affected Udege Kasa, Gidda Ogiri and Achawa, with at least three communities largely destroyed as residents fled for safety.
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Sources say the killings may have sparked retaliatory attacks, with armed groups mobilising in large numbers and launching coordinated assaults, moving from one settlement to another, burning homes and targeting residents, including women and children.
The violence has triggered widespread displacement, forcing many to flee into nearby communities and surrounding bushes.
Residents also raised concerns over what they described as a delayed and insufficient security response, noting the absence of sustained deployment to prevent further attacks and warning of possible renewed violence.
The crisis is unfolding at the start of the farming season, raising fears over food security and livelihoods as many residents can no longer access their farmlands.
Community members are now calling on the Nasarawa State Government to urgently deploy adequate security forces to restore peace, protect lives and property, and prevent further escalation.
Editor: Ada Ononye
