Conflict & Security
Nigeria violence kills more than 20, lawmaker says
More than 20 people were killed in violence between rival Kambari and Fulani communities in central Nigeria, a lawmaker and other sources said Saturday.
Jafar Muhammad, who represents Borgu Federal Constituency, confirmed the clashes and called for security forces to be deployed. He said the violence on Friday involved several ethnic groups in the region and said the killings were believed to have been carried out by local militias.
A resident told AFP the fighting was between Fulani and Kambari communities.
Niger State lies in an agricultural belt of central and northwest Nigeria where cattle rustling and kidnapping gangs have attacked communities for years. Jihadist groups involved in a 17-year insurgency in northeast Nigeria have also established a presence in Niger State, often working with the gangs.
In May, a militia group operating alongside the army killed around 40 Fulani herders near the area where Friday's clashes took place. The herders had been accused of being informants for the jihadist group Ansaru.
Update
A lawmaker and other sources said more than 20 people were killed.
Jafar Muhammad said the killings were believed to have been carried out by local militias.
Muhammad called for heavily armed security forces to be deployed.
The item adds context on jihadist groups, gangs and earlier reprisals in Niger State.
Source note: AFP news report published on 15 August 2026 at 08:36:00 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The exact number of dead is not fixed beyond reports of more than 20 or 20 dead from the lawmaker.
Responsibility for the killings is stated as a belief attributed to Muhammad, not independently established.
The full scope of the violence and the identities of the attackers are not fully established.
Source
AFP news report published on .