Tegina highway becomes a scene of horror amid fresh communal clash.

By Correspondent

A renewed communal conflict over farmlands between Kamuku farmers and Fulani herders has thrown parts of Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State into chaos, with scores of people reportedly burnt alive, many others injured, and frightened residents fleeing into nearby bushes to escape the violence.

The clash, which erupted around Tegina, left widespread destruction in its wake, with the highway linking Niger and Kebbi states reportedly littered with charred bodies, turning the once-busy road into what eyewitnesses described as a “death trap.”
Although the Niger State Police Command initially informed journalists on Wednesday that only two people lost their lives in the clash, fresh reports from the affected communities indicate that the casualty figure may be much higher.
Those affected were said to include members of both the Kamuku and Fulani communities, as well as innocent settlers and travellers caught in the violence while passing through the area.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Unit on July 1, the command confirmed that the number of casualties had increased significantly.
According to the police, 15 people were burnt to death inside a two-bedroom apartment at Angwan-Baago via Godoro village, while three others were killed in separate attacks, bringing the official death toll to 18.
The command also disclosed that a reconciliation committee, led by local government officials, is working alongside security agencies to contain the crisis. It added that joint police and military patrols have been deployed to restore peace in the affected communities.
However, residents disputed the official figures, insisting that more than 30 people were burnt to death, while several others sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment in hospitals.
An unspecified number of residents are also believed to be hiding in surrounding bushes for fear of fresh attacks as the violence between the two warring groups continues.
One resident, Isah Tanko Tegina, who spoke with journalists via telephone, lamented that the Kamuku people, one of the indigenous ethnic groups in the area, were being overwhelmed by the attackers.
He expressed concern that many innocent Kamuku residents had been left at the mercy of the violence and appealed to the federal, state, and local governments to intervene urgently to end the bloodshed and restore lasting peace.
Tegina also extended condolences to families who lost loved ones and property and wished those injured a speedy recovery.
The latest outbreak of violence has heightened fears of a worsening humanitarian crisis in the affected communities as residents continue to flee for safety amid uncertainty over when normalcy will return to the area.