Suspected herders have reportedly killed a farmer and allegedly raped his wife in Paikon Bassa, Gurdi Ward, Abaji Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday around 11:23 a.m. when herders invaded a guinea corn farm with their cows. According to Wokili Bala, a resident, the farmer and his family were harvesting their crops when the cows began feeding on the guinea corn, sparking a confrontation.
“The farmer’s two children asked the herders to move their cows off the farm, leading to an altercation. The farmer intervened to protect his children, but one of the herders pulled out a machete and struck him on the head,” Bala recounted.
The farmer succumbed to his injuries, while his children managed to escape and raise the alarm. During this time, some of the herders reportedly trapped and raped the farmer’s wife.
The farmer’s body has been buried, and the woman was taken to the hospital for medical attention.
According to local reports, the herders were migrating from Zago village in Niger State when the incident occurred.
A vigilante member, Saidu Garba, confirmed that local security operatives have been mobilized to track the fleeing herders. “When we received information about the attack, we rushed to the farm, but the herders had already fled. Efforts are underway to trace them,” Garba stated.
The FCT Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
