14-year-old girl shot as gunmen attack farmers in Nasarawa

A 14-year-old girl, identified as Amina Ya’u, has sustained gunshot injuries after suspected armed herders opened fire on farmers in Majelisa village, a community bordering Nasarawa and Plateau states. The incident reportedly occurred at about 6:30am on November 5 following reports of sporadic gunshots in the community. Security sources disclosed the development to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, saying troops of Sector 9, Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), deployed at Jenta, immediately responded to a distress call and moved to the scene.

According to the report, the troops found the teenage girl with gunshot wounds, while the suspected attackers had fled before their arrival. “Preliminary investigations indicated that a group of armed herders allegedly opened fire on farmers following a disagreement over grazing activities,” the report stated. The troops subsequently evacuated the injured girl to the General Hospital, Lafia, Nasarawa State, for medical attention.

Zagazola Makama said engagements with Fulani leaders were ongoing to assist security operatives in identifying and locating the fleeing suspects. It added that troops had intensified patrols and increased their security presence in the area to prevent further violence and possible escalation of the dispute. The incident adds to a series of attacks reported in Nigeria’s North-Central region in recent months.

For decades, clashes involving herders and farming communities in the region have resulted in deaths, destruction of farmlands and loss of cattle, amid persistent disputes over land use and grazing activities.