Two Tiv farmers in Gidan Ityotyev, Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State were killed by gunmen suspected to be fulani herdsmen on Friday night.
This comes two weeks after herdsmen invaded Gidan Sule community in neighbouring Keana Local Government Area of the state and killed nine Tiv farmers, displacing thousands.
Spokesperson for Gidan Ityotyev community, Ukpuu Abaa, gave names of the farmers killed as Moses Saaku and Aondofa Saaku.
He added that the marauders chopped off the breast of one of the community female members, Kwaghdoo Saaku.
Nevertheless, Ukpuu said the Gidan Ityotyev people took courage to stay put, despite the attack and killings in their community, and buried the dead bodies.
Ukpuu narrated to journalists that the attack on the people of the community took place at about 11:00pm on Friday when almost every member of the village had gone to bed after a tedious work on their farms.
He continued that on arrival at the village, the suspected Fulani herdsmen opened fire and shot sporadically in the community, hence waking up most of the inhabitants from their beds, who consequently geared up to confront the invaders.
“The invaders noticing the resilience from people of the Gidan Ityotyev community, withdrew from their attack immediately and took to their heels after succeeding in killing two persons of the same family, and as well cutting off the breast of another female member of the community with a sword,” the community spokesman said.
When contacted over the incident, the President of Tiv Development Association in Nasarawa State, Peter Ahemba, confirmed that two people were killed and one other injured, whereas hundreds of Tiv people have been displaced in the course of the attack.
Ahemba, however, blamed the attack on what he termed “conspiracy of silence” among the political class of the two Local Governments of Obi and Keana.
“It is a conspiracy of silence fashioned against the Tiv people of the state by some tribal politicians of Obi and Keana Local Government Areas. The idea is to displace the Tiv people and consequently disenfranchise them in the 2023 general elections,” he alleged.
When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, could not confirm the attack saying, “It was yet to be reported to the state police command.”
