The Niger State Police Command has confirmed that it has launched an investigation into the killing of two farmers in Poto village, Mokwa Local Government Area, following a violent escalation linked to a long-standing land dispute with neighbouring Ketso village.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Wasiu Abiodun, the command said preliminary investigations revealed that youths from Ketso village attacked Mohammed Kudu, 42, who was beaten to death and reportedly set ablaze.
He also revealed that Manko Ibrahim, 41, was killed while trying to calm the situation.
“Police operatives of Mokwa Division were mobilised to the scene, and efforts to make arrests are ongoing. Preliminary investigations indicate that the two communities have a lingering land dispute,” SP Abiodun disclosed.
It was gathered that the violence began around 2 p.m. on Thursday, when Mohammed Kudu of Poto village was attacked and murdered by youths from Ketso community at a pedestrian bridge along Gudzan–Poto village while returning from Enagi, headquarters of Edati LG.
Eyewitness accounts disclosed that during the face-off between Mohammed Kudu and some Ketso youths before his death, they had threatened to invade Poto village and “kill anything that breathes” the same day.
DAILY POST learnt that an hour later, a large group from Ketso community stormed farmlands belonging to Poto village, destroying crops, irrigation facilities, and solar water pumps and panels of the community.
It was gathered that Mohammed Kudu was killed and his body set ablaze, while Manko Ibrahim, a youth leader of Poto community, who had fallen asleep under a tree after completing his farm work, was later attacked with spears and locally made weapons while trying to restrain younger villagers from retaliating, leading to his death.
The Ketso attackers were said to have divided themselves into two groups, with one targeting farms while the other advanced toward Poto village.
Sources from the community said Ketso villagers have engaged in violent raids on Poto village for over a decade, often mobilising in numbers that include local leaders.
Residents of the community, however, blamed leaders of Ketso community for over 10 years of violence, while calling on state and federal governments to intervene and ensure peace is restored between the two communities.
They also linked the current violence to a letter purportedly issued in the name of the Emir’s Palace.
Reacting to the development, the Chief Imam of Poto, Jibrin Mohammed, who lost his younger brother in the violence, described the killings as the most painful moment of their lives, adding that threats from Ketso leaders had persisted for years and that Ketso community has been attacking his village persistently.
DAILY POST further learnt that residents of Poto community had earlier petitioned the Etsu Nupe and the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, submitting documents of incidents of land encroachment, destruction of property, attacks on residents, and threats dating back to 2013.
