At least nine people have been killed following a clash between two vigilante groups in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Gatekeepers News reports that the incident occurred on Thursday morning after a confrontation between members of the groups reportedly escalated into violence.
According to reports, the violence was triggered by the killing of a son of the leader of a Fulani vigilante group. The death reportedly prompted members of the aggrieved group to launch a reprisal attack, resulting in the deaths of several residents across three communities.
Several people were also injured during the violence. The injured victims were reportedly evacuated to Bida General Hospital for medical treatment.
The incident has heightened concerns over the activities of vigilante groups and the potential for disputes involving community security outfits to escalate into wider communal violence.
Details surrounding the identities of all the victims and the circumstances that led to the initial confrontation remain limited, while security authorities are expected to investigate the incident and prevent further reprisals.
The latest violence comes amid continuing security concerns in Kogi State, where communities have faced attacks, kidnapping threats and other criminal activities. Earlier in June, troops in the state foiled an attempted abduction of pupils in Iluke community, while a teacher and a resident were killed before the military intervention.
Authorities are expected to intensify security operations in the affected communities to prevent further violence and restore calm.
