Assorted crops worth hundreds of thousands of naira have been destroyed in Tasuna village in Sabon-Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State following a clash between farmers and herdsmen.
A correspondent who visited the area on Thursday, learnt that trouble started when some cows and other livestock strayed into farms.
A source in the area who preferred anonymity, said that the cows destroyed guinea corn and beans, among other crops.
He said that the destruction of the crops angered some youths in the village, who, in retaliation, swooped on the adjoining Fulani settlements and razed several houses to the ground.
The source added that the rampaging youths, also seized about 80 goats, sheep and rams and kept them under the custody of the District Head of Tsauna.
And in a swift reprisal attack on the farmers, some Fulani youths four people working on their farms with bows and arrows on Nov. 1.
Mobile and conventional Policemen who were drafted to the village, were said to have arrested two Fulani youths who were still under detention at the Sabon-Birni Divisional Police Station.
The district head was also said to have been arrested, was later granted bail. bail
bail Commenting on the development, Alhaji Idris Gobir, the local government Chairman, decried the situation but expressed happiness that no life was lost in the clash.
“Calm had since been restored in the village. We will not condone any acts of lawlessness by any resident of the local government, no matter how highly placed he or she is.
“ The people should, therefore, desist from taking the law into their hands. Rather, they should report any grievances to constituted authorities.’’
Meanwhile, the Spokesman of the Police command, ASP Al-Mustapha Sani, who confirmed the story, said that the case would be transferred from Sabon-Birni Divisional Police Station to the command on Nov. 3.
He said the Police would conduct investigations into the remote and immediate causes of the clash and would prosecute anybody indicted.