The Jigawa Police Command has verified that herdsmen attacked four communities in the state’s Birninkudu, Dutse, and Kiyawa Local Government Areas.

According to a statement released on Saturday by the command’s spokesman, DSP Lawal Adams, eight individuals were injured in the attacks and are being treated at the Dutse General Hospital in Dutse, the state capital.

The statement read, “Information revealed that herdsmen in large numbers armed with bows and arrows, matchets and sticks invaded Baranda village and attacked the villagers.

“The villagers rose up in defence of themselves, resulting in the injuries of eight of them. They were rushed to the Dutse General Hospital for medical attention.

“In his efforts for community engagement, conflict resolution and peacebuilding in Dutse emirate and the state as a whole, the Jigawa State Police Commissioner, Ahmed T. Abdullahi, alongside Squadron Commander 35PMF Dutse, Area Commander Dutse, and Divisional Police Officers of Dutse and Kiyawa Divisions visited four affected villages of Kalai, Waza, Baranda and Katanga in Dutse, Kiyawa and Birnin Kudu Local Government Areas over the recent hostilities between farmers and herders, where scores of people were injured and farmlands destroyed.”

According to Adams, the Commissioner of Police met with herders and farmers to discuss the importance of synergy, tolerance, and mutual understanding, as well as the need of not taking the law into their own hands.

“The Commissioner of Police interacted with the major stakeholders of both herders and farmers on the need for collaboration, synergy, tolerance, and understanding of each other and also on the need to avoid taking laws into their own hands and to report any wrongdoing of mischief, encroachment of cattle route and others offences to the nearest Police Station or other security agencies for immediate action,” it added.