₦airaland Forum

A state-backed Nigerian militia, operating alongside the military, killed scores of ethnic Fulani herders in a raid, local sources have told AFP.

The herders were killed in an operation that also involved vigilantes from Benin, just across the border from Niger state, after the herders were accused of being informants for the jihadist group Ansaru, the sources said.

The Nigerian vigilantes from Bussa district raided herding Fulani settlements around Kabe, in neighbouring Borgu, in a massacre that also saw sweeping mass arrests, the sources said.

On Thursday, security personnel went door-to-door in Fulani herding settlements, arresting young men suspected of being informants for the al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru group, shooting those who resisted, the sources said.

“Security personnel killed 41 suspected Ansaru informants in the raids in which many others were arrested,” said Ahmad Ali, a community leader from the nearby village of Konkoso.

“It was a joint operation between community vigilantes and those from neighbouring Benin, with the help of Nigerian soldiers,” Ali added.

A Nigerian military spokesman declined to comment and said he would seek more details of the alleged incident.

It was unclear if the Beninese military was aware of or involved in the operation. A Beninese military spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

Stigmatised as sympathisers

Niger is one of several states in central and northwestern Nigeria that have for years been terrorised by cattle rustling and kidnapping-for-ransom gangs locally known as “bandits”, which raid communities, kill residents and loot homes.

In recent years jihadist groups fighting a 17-year insurgency in the northeast have also established a foothold in Niger state, a gold-rich agricultural hub.

Occasional cooperation between bandits and jihadists has drawn the concern of security analysts.


The recruitment of Fulanis by jihadist groups in the neighbouring Sahel has sparked deadly reprisal attacks on Fulani civilians in those countries by militaries and militias.

Researchers have warned that such reprisals can backfire by pushing some Fulanis to join jihadist groups for their own safety.


In Nigeria, the presence of Fulanis in “bandit” gangs has sometimes seen authorities close down markets to the cattle trade, which has an outsize effect on Fulanis, many of whom are herders.

Fulanis are also often victims of armed groups themselves.

Community tensions

A humanitarian source providing aid to communities displaced by violence in the area put the toll slightly lower, at 38, blaming “vigilantes from Nigeria and Benin”.

A resident of Kabe named Abubakar, who declined to give his last name, said the operation was a “pre-emptive raid” following threats by the Fulani herders to disrupt farming activities in the area, after the recent killing of their two kinsmen accused of being Ansaru informants in the nearby community of Sabalunna.

In reprisals for the killing of those two individuals, Ansaru attacked and burnt down Sabalunna, warning “they would never condone the killing of their people”, said Abubakar, who confirmed the toll of 41.

“The Fulani herders openly threatened to disrupt farming this rainy season as they would be attacking farmers while working on their farms in the bush,” he said.

“This prompted the pre-emptive raid.”

The herding settlements have been deserted, with the herders fleeing the area with their cattle, the sources said.

AFP

Source: https://punchng.com/nigerian-benin-militias-kill-41-herders-in-border-raid-report

This has to be the most effective method of combatting these marauders. Route them up before they are able to carry out their wicked acts.

I really don't know what to think about this extrajudicial high-handedness.

However, Placing myself on the side of the community threatened by these same Fulani miscreants would surely bring out the devil in me

I just think ranching is the best way out of this quagmire

fulani settlements at ilorin!
Which ours forefathers allow!
allow them to enter south west easily

We've had enough of this menace. A new Nigeria is POssible

Peter Obi – This Is How A Nation Rises 🇳🇬 | Presidential Campaign Song 2027


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRk8JVbPEIs

If you ever find your self in a fair fight, then that means your tactics sucks

Is it nigerien and Nigerian?

Way to go. Payback period for the Islamists

dem think say Benin republic Gendames na Nigeria military wey dey give Fulani terrorists jollof rice, face mask and boys quarter houses. Those Benin Gendames are some hard core guys, very rugged.

The military must make sure they target killer herders and not innocent genuine herders.


Not all herders are killer.

Kudos to our arm forces

Seems the herders violence has spread to Benin republic.
Many states in Nigeria have been affected by the herdsmen violence. Here's a list of some of them.

https://www.top5.ng/list-of-states-most-impacted-by-herdsmen-violence-in-nigeria/

This is What Every State Governor In Collaboration with FG Should Carry Out In Every State if They Are Truly Sincere in Wiping Out Bandits, Terrorist,Killer Herdsmen And Kidnappers.

I think the OP meant to say Niger and not Nigeria, Nigerian government would rather bomb themselves than to kpai Fulani herdsmen.

That's a big problem loading

It’s so sad that trust is lost in our communities. People who used to co-habit in peace, sharing the good life together, have turned to enemies.

Unfortunately leaders, who I always believe are responsible for the evil happening in communities since the return to democratic governance, appear to keep supporting and gaining from citizens who live in disarray.

Fulani herdsmen have made trusting the Fulanis as a whole very tasking, with the terrible ones among them appearing to derive joy from killing people. They were always known to guide their cows peacefully armed with sticks. The sticks, aside from directing the cows, helped to ward off snakes and other dangerous animals encountered on their routes. Now without guns, they do not move. With the guns, kidnapping for ransom has become the pastime.

It is in the place of government to ensure peace and sanity in the country. So if this is called extrajudicial killing, how can one justify the same herdsmen who killing hundreds of people, destroy their lands and overrun the same communities, seizing them? With the measure with which you dish out, such shall me meted to you. That’s the case there.

Most country have cattle and they don't kill people over it. Government should lead the way in establishing ranches. Train people too. 50 cows can feed a family. I believe revenue will surpass fifteen million per annum from 50 cows. Milk and beef. Government should go into it and support people to go into it. Nomadic cattle rearing is archaic

That community better start watching their backs the fulanis are very notorious for unexpected brutal revenges when killings like these happens to them

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/nigerian-benin-militias-kill-41-herders-in-border-raid-report

for too long the fulanis have had a free ride........its high time they taste a bit of their own bitter medicine

adenigga:
Source: https://punchng.com/nigerian-benin-militias-kill-41-herders-in-border-raid-report

Waste of human lives.

Beginning 1999, Fulani indirectly told Nigerians that they want an Islamic Republic to be governed with Sharia criminal laws. Fulani did that by spearheading and spread the adoption of unconstitutional Islamic sharia criminal justice system in 12 northern Nigeria states, after which the Islamic terrorists emerged and say they are fighting for a country to be governed with Sharia criminal justice system.

Instead of Nigeria's politicians to dissolve Nigeria into more manageable countries, they clutch tight to one non manageable Nigeria and waste human lives to keep Nigeria one.

They will soon be endangered across all countries, only a matter of time

We no dey chook mouth for family matters 💀

"....A state-backed Nigerian militia..."

Excellent news. More!! More!

matify83:
I really don't know what to think about this extrajudicial high-handedness.

However, Placing myself on the side of the community threatened by these same Fulani miscreants would surely bring out the devil in me

I just think ranching is the best way out of this quagmire

Ranching as in how .... What do you mean by ranching ?

Good job!
No mercy for herders

Only possible because of the Benin connection.

iichidodo:
These is ethnic cleansing, we cannot be seen to be acting with such brutality, because it will only call to the attention of the Fulani and tuareg militias in Jnim and FLA who are seasoned fighters in Mali...

And the killing of Nigerians in their thousands over the course of a decade is what ? Had Jonathan being more brutal it would have never gotten to this level. When dealing with violence you need to be more violent

Mrexcell:
That community better start watching their backs the fulanis are very notorious for unexpected brutal revenges when killings like these happens to them

It's simply a game of who is more ruthless. To stop a bully you need to be a bully. Bullies only understand fighting. Look at Iran playing the madman card to perfection. Iran has learnt from Libya and Iraq that you have to be a warrior to stop wars on your own soil.