Scores of ethnic Fulani herders have reportedly been killed in a controversial raid in Niger State, in what local sources describe as a joint operation involving a state-backed militia, vigilantes, and security personnel.
According to accounts shared with AFP, the raid took place in settlements around Kabe in Borgu Local Government Area. The victims were accused of acting as informants for Ansaru, a jihadist group linked to al-Qaeda.
The operation reportedly involved vigilantes from Nigeria as well as neighbouring Benin, raising concerns about cross-border security coordination and oversight.
Residents said security personnel conducted door-to-door searches in Fulani communities, arresting young men suspected of collaborating with insurgents and shooting those who resisted.
“Security personnel killed 41 suspected Ansaru informants in the raids in which many others were arrested,” said Ahmad Ali, a community leader from a nearby village.
“It was a joint operation between community vigilantes and those from neighbouring Benin, with the help of Nigerian soldiers,” he added.
While the Nigerian military has not confirmed the incident, a spokesperson said further details were being sought. Authorities in Benin have also not officially commented on the reports.
A humanitarian source working with displaced communities estimated the death toll at 38, attributing the violence to vigilante groups operating across the border.
The attack comes against a backdrop of heightened insecurity in Niger State, where communities have long faced violence from bandit groups involved in cattle rustling and kidnapping. In recent years, jihadist factions have also expanded their presence into the region, increasing the complexity of the conflict.
Security analysts have warned that the growing overlap between banditry and insurgency is fuelling mistrust and retaliatory violence. Fulani communities, often stereotyped as collaborators, have faced reprisals not only in Nigeria but also in parts of the Sahel.
A local resident, identified as Abubakar, described the raid as a “pre-emptive raid” following tensions between herders and farming communities.
“The Fulani herders openly threatened to disrupt farming this rainy season as they would be attacking farmers while working on their farms in the bush,” he said.
“This prompted the pre-emptive raid.”
He also noted that Ansaru had earlier attacked and burned a nearby community in retaliation for the killing of two individuals accused of being informants.
The aftermath of the raid has reportedly left several herding settlements deserted, with residents fleeing alongside their livestock.
AFP
