Three Killed, Houses Burnt as Herders Launch Reprisal Attack in Nasarawa

By George Omagbemi Sylvester

At least three people were killed and several homes burnt in a reprisal attack by suspected herders in Nasarawa State, an incident that has further heightened fears over escalating communal violence in parts of central Nigeria. The attack, captured in video footage shared on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, shows the aftermath of burning homes and fleeing residents in a scene that has ignited local outrage and calls for urgent security action.

Eyewitnesses said the attack occurred late on Tuesday night in the Shabu area of Doma Local Government Area, where armed herders allegedly set fire to houses and opened fire on community residents. The violence followed a previous clash between farming and herding groups in the region, igniting fears of a dangerous cycle of revenge attacks.

Local leaders and residents described a scene of panic as families fled into nearby bushland to escape the flames and gunshots, with properties reduced to ashes by the time security forces arrived. Some victims are being treated in local hospitals, while others remain unaccounted for amid ongoing searches.

The incident underscores the deepening farmer–herder crisis that has long plagued parts of the Middle Belt, often driven by competition over land, water, and grazing resources. Security analysts warn that without stronger preventive measures and sustained conflict resolution strategies, such reprisal attacks could increasingly destabilise rural communities and trigger wider displacement.

State authorities have condemned the violence and called for calm, even as community representatives demand better protection and faster intervention to stop the cycle of attacks and counter‑reprisals.