The police said investigations were ongoing to identify those responsible, assuring that anyone found culpable would face the full weight of the law.
Niger State is in Nigeria’s North-Central region.
Fresh communal violence has erupted in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, with the Niger State Police Command confirming the deaths of two people in an incident linked to a lingering land dispute between Fulani and Kamuku communities.
The latest violence, which affected Godoro village in Katako District as well as the neighbouring communities of Mararraban Gwadaro and Tashan Bako, initially sparked reports that about 10 people had been killed and several houses burnt.
However, the Niger State Police Command said only two deaths have so far been officially confirmed.
In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said the Command received a report on June 30, 2026, at about 2 p.m., of an attack that occurred the previous night.
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According to the statement, suspected armed men stormed Godoro village at about 11:30 p.m. on June 29 and shot a 25-year-old man, who died at the scene.
The police said the attack triggered a reprisal by members of the local vigilante group who allegedly blocked the road and killed a 28-year-old man.
The Command said preliminary investigations indicated that the violence was connected to a longstanding land dispute between the two communities.
Meanwhile, residents told Channels Television that the violence later spread to Mararraban Gwadaro and Tashan Bako communities, where several houses were reportedly set ablaze.
Some residents described the attacks as reprisal assaults and expressed concern that women and children were among the worst affected.
They appealed to the government and security agencies to take urgent steps to prevent further escalation of the crisis.
In a telephone interview, the Chairman of Rafi Local Government Area, Ayuba Katako, confirmed the incident but declined to comment on the casualty figure.
He said investigations were ongoing to identify those responsible, assuring that anyone found culpable would face the full weight of the law.
The council chairman stressed that no responsible government would fold its arms while innocent citizens were being killed, adding that security personnel had been deployed in large numbers to restore peace and protect lives and property in the affected communities.
The police command said efforts were also underway through a reconciliation committee led by officials of the Rafi Local Government Council, in collaboration with security agencies, to address the underlying land dispute and prevent further violence.
