Gunmen have killed and beheaded the village head of Lafagu community in Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The incident occurred on Sunday, according to the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, who confirmed the killing in a text message.
Usman, however, did not disclose the identity of the deceased traditional ruler.
He said the police had arrested some suspects in connection with the incident and would provide further details as the investigation progresses.
“Yes, it is true the village head was killed in Lafagu under Bagudo Local Government. We have made some arrests in respect of the incident and will provide details later,” the PPRO said.
Meanwhile, findings by our correspondent suggest that the killing may be linked to an armed ethnic militia operating in the area, rather than bandits or Lakurawa insurgents.
A source, Tukur Kaoje, said members of the Fulani, Kambarawa and Bargawa communities had lived together in the area for decades before a recent escalation in insecurity, allegedly driven by incidents of cattle rustling and kidnapping.
According to Kaoje, following the reported infiltration of some communities by Lakurawa fighters, residents of the Bargawa and Kambarawa communities allegedly accused Fulani residents of involvement in the attacks and subsequently formed armed groups to confront them.
He alleged that the militia recently attacked Boya village, where several Fulani residents were reportedly killed.
“Yes, the village head was beheaded in Lafagu, but we are not sure whether the killers were bandits or Lakurawa. There are allegations that it was carried out by an armed ethnic militia,” Kaoje said.
He described the situation in Lafagu and neighbouring communities as tense and urged the government to intervene urgently to prevent further escalation.
Kaoje warned that failure to address the situation could trigger a wider cycle of communal violence and make the crisis increasingly difficult to contain.
The police said investigations are ongoing.
