Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen early Sunday morning killed 21 villagers in community mosque in Etogi community, Gbara ward, in Mokwa local government area of Niger state.
Victims of the attack include the Imam of the Mosque.
The Nation newspaper reports that the gunmen attacked the villagers who were observing their early morning prayers as a result of an earlier disagreement between some Fulani youths and members of the affected community which resulted in the death of a herder.
The newspaper reported that the disagreement was over the failure of a herder to remit the percentage of the proceed of the land given to them by the villagers which was meant to be paid to the village head.
The herders are laying claim to the land.
The Niger state Police Command confirmed that the attack was a reprisal for the death of a herdsman.
DSP Bala Elkana, the State Police Public Relations Officer who confirmed the killing of 20 people in the attack explained that the killing of a herder was managed, “but it appears they were not satisfied and decided to retaliate.”
According to him, eight people who sustained various degrees of injuries due to the commotion that accompanied the attack are currently recuperating in a nearby hospital while mobile policemen have been deployed to the community to ensure peace.