At least two suspected herders were reportedly lynched by an angry mob in Brinin Gwari local government area of Kaduna state on Sunday.
It was gathered that the victims were suspected to have had strong links with armed bandits who have ravaged the region.
The mob forcibly seized the two herders from security personnel, lynched and burnt them according to a statement by Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan on Sunday.
In a swift reaction the Governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai has condemned the incident and cautioned against further actions capable of stirring up violence.
He also directed the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs to liaise with the military, police and DSS to contact the victims’ families for further engagements toward averting counter-attacks.
Meanwhile a group In Brinin Gwari, the Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU) in its reaction has also condemned the mob action.
But the chairman of the union, Usman Kasai, on Monday explained that the lynched persons were not herders are widely reported but terrorists mercenaries from the Republic of Sudan.
He also shared pictures of an I.D card which he claims was recovered from one of the victims as proofs that they are suspected criminal migrants and not herders.
He further explained that the alleged lynching occurred after the suspects forcefully snatched a motorcycle from a farmer at the outskirts of Birnin-Gwari main town.
Brinin Gwari is one of the frontline local government areas in Kaduna state that has been in the direct line of fire from bandits and kidnappers in the last 5 years.
Several Military personnel have been killed, villages and communities sacked, and residents claim the terrorists have been demanding and forcing communities to pay “protection fee” and crop harvesting levies.
