Panic and fear have gripped the Aso A community near Jumai Estate in Mararaba, a border area between Abuja and Nasarawa State, following a violent attack by suspected herdsmen.
According to sources, the assault, which began on Wednesday morning, has claimed at least six lives, though the exact number of casualties remains uncertain.
Eyewitnesses said the violence erupted after an earlier clash between a local farmer and a herder over farmland boundaries.
The disagreement reportedly escalated when the farmer allegedly killed the herder during the dispute. The farmer, whose identity is still unknown, fled the scene immediately after the incident.
In apparent retaliation, suspected herdsmen reportedly stormed the fleeing farmer’s residence, attacking residents indiscriminately and setting several homes on fire.
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The situation worsened when community members attempted to resist the attackers, leading to further destruction of property and loss of life.
A video obtained shows houses engulfed in flames, while the body of one victim was reportedly transported in a wheelbarrow to a nearby hospital.
Residents who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that most of the community has been deserted, with people fleeing to safer areas within Abuja and its surroundings.
In a related incident, a motorcyclist transporting a police officer to the scene was ambushed and killed by the attackers.
A combined team of police and military personnel has been deployed to restore order in the community. However, local leaders warned that tensions remain high amid reports that more armed herdsmen may be mobilized from Keffi for possible reprisal attacks.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Divisional Police Officer of Aso A Police Division were unsuccessful, as the officer declined to speak on the incident.
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