The Niger State Police Command has confirmed that it has launched an investigation into the killing of two farmers in Poto village, Mokwa Native Authorities Space, following a violent escalation linked to a long-standing land dispute with neighbouring Ketso village.

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In an announcement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Wasiu Abiodun, the command stated preliminary investigations revealed that youths from Ketso village attacked Mohammed Kudu, 42, who was crushed to dying and reportedly set ablaze.

He additionally revealed that Manko Ibrahim, 41, was killed whereas making an attempt to calm the state of affairs.

“Police operatives of Mokwa Division have been mobilised to the scene, and efforts to make arrests are ongoing. Preliminary investigations point out that the two communities have a lingering land dispute,” SP Abiodun disclosed.

It was gathered that the violence started round 2 p.m. on Thursday, when Mohammed Kudu of Poto village was attacked and murdered by youths from Ketso group at a pedestrian bridge alongside Gudzan–Poto village whereas getting back from Enagi, headquarters of Edati LG.

Eyewitness accounts disclosed that throughout the face-off between Mohammed Kudu and a few Ketso youths earlier than his dying, they’d threatened to invade Poto village and “kill something that breathes” the identical day.

DAILY POST learnt that an hour later, a big group from Ketso group stormed farmlands belonging to Poto village, destroying crops, irrigation services, and photo voltaic water pumps and panels of the group.

It was gathered that Mohammed Kudu was killed and his physique set ablaze, whereas Manko Ibrahim, a youth chief of Poto group, who had fallen asleep below a tree after finishing his farm work, was later attacked with spears and regionally made weapons whereas making an attempt to restrain youthful villagers from retaliating, resulting in his dying.

The Ketso attackers have been stated to have divided themselves into two teams, with one focusing on farms whereas the opposite superior towards Poto village.

Sources from the group stated Ketso villagers have engaged in violent raids on Poto village for over a decade, usually mobilising in numbers that embody native leaders.

Residents of the group, nonetheless, blamed leaders of Ketso group for over 10 years of violence, whereas calling on state and federal governments to intervene and guarantee peace is restored between the two communities.

Additionally they linked the present violence to a letter purportedly issued in the identify of the Emir’s Palace.

Reacting to the event, the Chief Imam of Poto, Jibrin Mohammed, who misplaced his youthful brother in the violence, described the killings as essentially the most painful second of their lives, including that threats from Ketso leaders had continued for years and that Ketso group has been attacking his village persistently.

DAILY POST additional learnt that residents of Poto group had earlier petitioned the Etsu Nupe and the Niger State Council of Conventional Rulers, submitting paperwork of incidents of land encroachment, destruction of property, assaults on residents, and threats relationship again to 2013.