***Police Arrest Suspects
By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
The Jigawa State Police Command has confirmed that two people were killed and seven others injured following an attack by suspected herders at Dagiteri village, Birniwa Local Government Area.
The incident, according to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Lawan Shi’isu Adam, occurred around midnight on Wednesday when suspected Fulani herders launched a sudden assault on the community.
“Two people were killed and seven others sustained various injuries when the attackers, armed with bows and arrows, struck unexpectedly,” SP Shi’isu told National Update.
The police, acting swiftly, deployed a team of joint security personnel under Operation Salama to restore calm. Seven suspects have been arrested, and weapons including bows and arrows, cutlasses, mobile phones, and local charms were recovered. The suspects are currently under interrogation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Dutse.
Investigations suggest that the attack may have been triggered by the earlier killing of a suspected thief, allegedly a Fulani man, in the same village. A local resident explained that villagers pursued a group of suspected thieves, resulting in the death of one of them.
“The following day, over 70 attackers returned on motorcycles, armed with bows, arrows, cutlasses, and sticks, launching a reprisal attack,” the resident said.
“They killed two middle-aged men, Adda’u and Bola, injured several others including an elderly couple, burnt one motorcycle, and took another away.”
The resident warned that criminal activities in the area are escalating, with attackers now striking even in broad daylight, targeting livestock and motorcycles.
He appealed to Governor Umar Namadi, the state police command, local government authorities, and traditional leaders to urgently intervene and prevent further bloodshed.