A clash between farmers and herders in Kodomun, a community in Demsa Local Government Area of Adamawa State, has resulted in the deaths of three people and left eight others injured.
The incident is said to have been triggered by the alleged killing of a youth in Kodomun by suspected herders, which sparked emotions and escalated to neighboring villages including Kudiri, Sabonlayi, Kwayine, and Gorogbakai.
However, by Thursday, a combined security team dispatched to the area had restored normalcy, according to the Police Public Relations Officer in Adamawa State, SP Suleiman Nguroje.
A meeting was held at the palace of the Hama Batta, Homun Alhamdu Gladstone Teneke, the paramount traditional leader in Demsa, to address the crisis. The meeting was attended by the Executive Chairman of Demsa Local Government Council, Akham Jalo, who appealed for calm and blamed both farmers and herders for concealing the truth about the causes of the crisis.
Jalo urged farmers to report crop destruction to authorities for compensation and warned herders to avoid grazing around farm areas to prevent cattle from straying into farms. He also emphasized the need for both parties to work together to find a lasting solution.
Earlier, the Hama Batta, Homun Alhamdu Gladstone Teneke, stressed the need for herders to comply with the state government’s directive to withdraw their cattle during the cropping and rainy season until after harvest in February every year.
The meeting concluded by asking leaders of the warring groups to identify and submit the names of those responsible for the latest clash for prosecution, in an effort to bring an end to the lingering crisis.
