After decades of fighting, ethnic divides between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers erupted in Plateau State, Nigeria, leading to the death of 86 people. In addition to casualties, 50 houses were burned along with 15 motorbikes and two cars, the BBC reports.
The two groups have in large part struggled with one another for land, and after the farmers attacked Fulani herders on June 21, the herders responded in what lead to this massacre.
According to CNN, the Fulani herdsmen are mostly Muslim, while the farmers are Christian. Their mutual grapples have stretched across Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Niger, Jigawa, Sokoto, Edo, Delta, Yobe and Anambra. In 2014, the Fulani herdsmen charged into a meeting in Northern Nigeria’s Zamfara State and killed 30 people.
Now, the state fears more retaliation, and so, according to Governor of Plateau State Simon Bako Lalong, a temporary 6 p.m. – 6 a.m. curfew has been enacted for protective purposes.
A 6pm-6am curfew has been put into immediate effect to quell the acute part of this horrible situation. The immediate measure is intended to protect the lives of our citizens. We will follow with longer term measures to secure the peace.— Simon Bako Lalong (@SimonLalong) June 24, 2018
Nigerian President Muhammadu Bahari publicly expressed his regrets on Twitter, writing, “The previous loss of lives and property arising from the killings in Plateau today is painful and regrettable. My deepest condolences to the affected communities. We will not rest until all murderers and criminal elements and their sponsors are incapacitates and brought to justice.”
The grievous loss of lives & property arising from the killings in Plateau today is painful and regrettable. My deepest condolences to the affected communities. We will not rest until all murderers and criminal elements and their sponsors are incapacitated and brought to justice.— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) June 24, 2018
