Gunmen Kill and Behead Village Head in Kebbi

Gunmen have killed and beheaded the village head of Lafagu community in Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The incident occurred on Sunday, according to the Kebbi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, who confirmed the killing in a text message.

The police spokesperson, however, did not disclose the identity of the deceased traditional ruler.

“Yes, it is true the village head was killed in Lafagu under Bagudo Local Government. We have made some arrests in respect of the incident and will provide details later,” Usman said.

The police have arrested some suspects in connection with the incident, while investigations are ongoing.

Meanwhile, findings suggest that the killing may have been linked to an armed ethnic militia operating in the area, rather than bandits or Lakurawa insurgents.

A local source, Tukur Kaoje, said members of the Fulani, Kambarawa and Bargawa communities had lived together in the area for decades before the recent escalation of insecurity, allegedly involving cattle rustling and kidnapping.

Kaoje said that following the alleged infiltration of some communities by Lakurawa fighters, some residents of the Bargawa and Kambarawa communities accused Fulani residents of being responsible for attacks and subsequently formed armed groups to confront them.

He further alleged that the militia recently attacked Boya village, where scores of Fulani residents were reportedly killed.

“Yes, the village head was beheaded in Lafagu, but we are not sure whether the killers were bandits or Lakurawa. There are allegations that it was carried out by an armed ethnic militia,” Kaoje said.

He described the situation in Lafagu and neighbouring communities as tense and called on the government to urgently intervene to prevent further escalation.

He warned that failure to address the situation could trigger a wider cycle of communal violence and make the crisis increasingly difficult to contain.

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