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Land conflict kills 18 in Nigeria
At least 18 people have been killed in days of violence linked to a long-running land dispute in Nigeria's north-central Niger State, police said on Thursday.
The clashes occurred between Monday and Wednesday in the Rafi area and involved gun attacks as well as incidents of arson, according to police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun.
Police said the violence began on Monday when two people were killed. The situation escalated on Wednesday, when 15 people were burned to death after attackers set a house on fire, while another person was killed in a separate incident.
Authorities said the unrest stemmed from a longstanding land dispute between two tribal communities.
Abiodun said a reconciliation committee led by local government officials was working with security agencies to defuse the tensions, while joint police and military patrols had been deployed to restore law and order in the affected area.
Communal violence over land ownership and access to resources is a recurring problem in parts of Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation.
Niger State has also witnessed frequent attacks by armed criminal groups involved in kidnappings for ransom and extortion targeting rural farming communities.
The latest violence comes only days after the reported abduction of 36 students in northeastern Nigeria, reports UNB.