The Niger State Government has imposed a curfew on communities in Rafi Local Government Area following renewed communal violence that has left about 80 people dead. The decision comes as authorities intensify efforts to restore peace after clashes linked to a dispute over farmland.
Governor Umaru Bago announced the measure during an assessment visit to the affected communities, including Tashar Bako, where violence erupted between members of the Kamuku and Fulani communities. Represented by Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba, the governor directed security agencies to strengthen operations across the area. According to official accounts, preliminary investigations indicate that the conflict began over disagreements relating to farmland before escalating into deadly violence.
As part of the response to the Niger curfew clashes, Governor Bago instructed security agencies to deploy all available personnel and resources to restore law and order. He also ordered security operatives to combine both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies to contain the crisis and prevent further attacks.
To support peacebuilding efforts, the governor directed the Emir of Kagara, Alhaji Ahmad Garba-Gunna, to establish a Peace and Reconciliation Committee. The committee is expected to promote dialogue, rebuild trust and encourage lasting coexistence among the affected communities.
Governor Bago appealed to residents to remain peaceful and avoid actions capable of worsening the security situation. He also urged social media users and online influencers to refrain from sharing unverified or inflammatory content that could fuel further tension.
He noted that the affected communities have coexisted peacefully for generations and appealed to them not to allow the actions of a few individuals to destroy their longstanding relationship. The deputy governor also visited displaced victims taking refuge at Tegina Primary School and Gimi Primary School, assuring them that the government would continue working to prevent another outbreak of violence.
Speaking during the visit, the Emir of Kagara commended the state government and security agencies for their prompt intervention.
He urged residents to cooperate fully with security personnel while cautioning politicians against politicising the crisis. The monarch also stressed that the violence should not be viewed as an ethnic conflict between the Kamuku and Fulani communities. He further called on security agencies to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the killings and destruction recorded during the Niger curfew clashes.
The state government says it remains committed to restoring normalcy through strengthened security operations and dialogue. Authorities believe the combination of the newly imposed Niger curfew clashes response, reconciliation efforts and community cooperation will help prevent further violence and restore lasting peace in the affected areas.
