At least 41 Fulani herders have reportedly been killed in a coordinated raid involving local vigilantes and security operatives in Niger State, according to community sources.
The incident, said to have taken place in settlements around Kabe in the Borgu area, allegedly involved a joint operation by Nigerian vigilante groups from Bussa district and counterparts from neighbouring Benin Republic. The herders were accused of acting as informants for Ansaru, a militant group linked to al-Qaeda.
A community leader from Konkoso village, Ahmad Ali, claimed the operation targeted suspected collaborators. “Security personnel killed 41 suspected informants during the raids, while several others were arrested,” he said. “It was a joint effort between local vigilantes and those from Benin, supported by Nigerian soldiers.”
According to residents, the operation involved house-to-house searches, with young men in Fulani settlements singled out for arrest. Those who resisted were reportedly shot.
However, the Nigerian military has yet to officially confirm the incident. A spokesperson said details were still being gathered, while authorities in the Benin Republic have not responded to inquiries regarding possible involvement.
A humanitarian worker in the area provided a slightly lower casualty figure of 38, attributing the violence to vigilante groups operating across the Nigeria-Benin border.
Local tensions appear to have escalated in the days leading up to the raid. A resident of Kabe, who identified himself as Abubakar, described the operation as a “pre-emptive اقدام” following threats allegedly made by some herders.
“The herders had warned they would disrupt farming activities during the rainy season after two of their kinsmen were killed over suspected links to Ansaru,” he said. “That created fear among farming communities and may have triggered the raid.”
He added that suspected militants later attacked Sabalunna community in retaliation, burning homes and warning against further attacks on their members.
The violence highlights growing insecurity in Niger State, where banditry, kidnapping, and the expanding presence of extremist groups have deepened mistrust among communities. Security analysts have warned that targeting entire groups based on suspicion could worsen the crisis.
“Reprisal attacks like this risk pushing more people toward armed groups for protection,” one analyst noted.
Following the raid, many Fulani residents have reportedly fled the affected settlements with their livestock, leaving the area largely deserted.
Authorities are yet to release an official statement as investigations into the incident continue.
