Four injured in farmers-herders clash in Niger

At least four persons were left seriously injured after a clash between farmers and herders in Pampo, a village in the Kataeregi District of Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State.

The incident reportedly occurred after some cattle grazed in a soybean farm belonging to one of the victims.

Sources said the farmer attempted to drive the cattle away to prevent them from destroying his crops, but an argument reportedly ensued between him and one of the herders.

The disagreement allegedly escalated when the herder attacked the farmer with a dagger, inflicting serious injuries on him.

The attack reportedly attracted the attention of other farmers working nearby, who rushed to the scene after hearing cries for help.

According to sources, the assailant allegedly turned on two of the farmers who attempted to intervene, seriously injuring them before fleeing the area.

The victims were subsequently rushed to a hospital for treatment.

One of the injured farmers was left with a deep cut around the ear and neck region, resulting in severe bleeding and requiring urgent medical attention.

Recent incidents

The Pampo incident comes against the backdrop of a series of farmer-herder and communal conflicts recorded in different parts of Niger State.

On 7 July, a clash in Beji, Bosso Local Government Area, left one person dead and another injured.

The dispute reportedly started after cattle allegedly entered a farmer’s field and destroyed crops.

According to police, three people attacked a farmer in the Danini area, leading to serious injuries to both the farmer and one of the alleged attackers. The farmer later died in hospital.

The Beji incident was preceded by a more deadly outbreak of violence in communities around Tegina in Rafi Local Government Area.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that at least 48 people were killed in attacks and reprisals involving Fulani herders and members of the Kamuku community.

Residents said the violence involved attacks on communities, while retaliatory attacks also resulted in the deaths of several herders.

The Tegina violence also spread to Kagara, the headquarters of Rafi LGA, where authorities imposed a curfew after a mob reportedly attempted to invade Kagara General Hospital and attack herders receiving treatment there.

Security personnel were deployed to protect the facility and prevent further escalation.

Farmer-herder violence has also been reported in other parts of Niger State in previous years.

In November 2024, three farmers were reportedly hospitalised after sustaining machete injuries during a confrontation with suspected herders at Mailema farm area in Wushishi Local Government Area.

The dispute reportedly started when cattle were allegedly taken into rice farms, and police said one of the suspected attackers was arrested.

In another incident in Kadna, Shiroro Local Government Area, two people—a farmer and a herder—were killed during a clash reportedly triggered by the alleged encroachment of cattle into farmland.

Several houses and properties were also reportedly burnt, forcing some residents to flee the community.

Similarly, an earlier clash in Beji, Bosso Local Government Area, reportedly claimed five lives, including three siblings, after a farmer was found dead on his farm following complaints over cattle allegedly grazing on his crops.

The incident raised fears of further reprisals in the area.

The recurring incidents highlight the continuing tension over access to farmland, grazing routes and crop destruction in parts of Niger State, particularly during the farming season.

Community leaders in Pampo have therefore called for stronger conflict-resolution mechanisms, improved security presence and sustained dialogue between farmers and herders to prevent disputes from escalating into violence.

They also appealed to the Niger State Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to protect vulnerable farming communities, particularly during the peak farming season when tensions over access to farmland and grazing routes are often heightened.

The leaders urged farmers and herders to exercise restraint and use established community and legal mechanisms to resolve disputes rather than resorting to violence or reprisal attacks.