Ethnic clashes kill 34 in Nigeria

A farming dispute is being blamed for the deaths of at least 34 people in central Nigeria during clashes between rival tribes.

Clashes between rival tribes in central Nigeria have left at least 34 people dead.

The violence erupted on Saturday when a militia from the Eggon tribe attacked the Gwandara village of Egan following a dispute over farmland, said Nasarawa state spokesman Sani Musa Mairiga on Sunday.

"All the victims were from Gwandara tribe whose village came under sudden attack from Ombatse cult members from Eggon tribe," Mairiga said.

"So far 34 people have been killed in the violence with several others injured."

Several homes and barns were burnt in the attack, sparked by a farming dispute in which an Eggon man was injured, he said.

Armed police were deployed to stop the bloodshed, Mairiga said.

Ethnic disputes linked to land are frequent in central Nigeria, despite efforts to mend relations between the region's different groups.

The fighting often has religious overtones, pitting Christian farmers against nomadic Muslim herder communities, although in Nawasara state the rival ethnicities are made up of both Christians and Muslims.


Share
1 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP

Tags

Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world