Scores of Fulani Herders Killed in Raid by State-Backed Militia in Nigeria
Joint operation involving Nigerian soldiers and vigilantes from Benin targets alleged Ansaru informants in Borgu
Quick Look
A joint operation by Nigerian soldiers and vigilantes from Benin and Bussa has resulted in the deaths of 41 suspected informants for the jihadist group Ansaru in Borgu, according to local community leaders.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Ansaru is an al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group operating in Nigeria. Ethnic tensions between Fulani herders and local communities often lead to violence in the region.
A state-backed Nigerian militia, operating alongside the military, killed scores of ethnic Fulani herders in a raid, local sources have told journalists.
The herders were killed in an operation that also involved vigilantes from Benin, just across the border from Niger State, after the herders were accused of being informants for the jihadist group Ansaru.
The Nigerian vigilantes from Bussa district raided herding Fulani settlements around Kabe, in neighbouring Borgu, in a massacre that also saw sweeping mass arrests, the sources said.
On Thursday, security personnel went door-to-door in Fulani herding settlements, arresting young men suspected of being informants for the al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru group, 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 the nearby village of Konkoso.
“It was a joint operation between community vigilantes and those from neighbouring Benin, with the help of Nigerian soldiers,” Ali added.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Human rights organizations will call for an investigation into the killings.
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What is the official government response to the allegations of extrajudicial killings?
- How did the vigilantes from Benin obtain authorization to operate in Nigeria?
