A violent communal clash between Fulani herders and Gwari farmers in Gurfata village, located in the Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has claimed one life and left at least 31 houses destroyed.
The conflict, which occurred on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, was reportedly triggered by a dispute over access to a farmland path.
According to local sources, tensions flared around 10:30 a.m. when a Fulani man identified as Shaibu Adamu attempted to pass through a farmland belonging to a Gwari farmer known as Sa’adu.
Although Adamu was not herding cattle at the time, the farmer objected to his use of the path and insisted that he take an alternative route. This disagreement quickly escalated into a heated argument.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama confirmed that the verbal confrontation degenerated into a physical altercation, resulting in minor injuries for both men.
However, what began as a personal disagreement soon spiraled into a larger ethnic conflict, as both the Fulani and Gwari communities began mobilising in support of their respective members.
The situation took a deadly turn when Adamu Ibrahim, the elder brother of Shaibu Adamu, allegedly launched an attack on a Gwari resident, Dahiru Yakubu, using a machete.
Yakubu was critically injured in the assault and was immediately rushed to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital. Unfortunately, he later succumbed to his wounds.
News of Yakubu’s death provoked a violent retaliation by angry Gwari youths. In a reprisal attack, they stormed the Fulani settlement in Gurfata village, setting fire to 31 houses and injuring at least three individuals in the process.
In response to the escalating violence, troops from the Nigerian Army, alongside other joint security personnel, were swiftly deployed to the area to contain the unrest and restore order. Their intervention helped prevent the violence from spreading further.
Meanwhile, authorities have appealed for calm and urged both communities to exercise restraint. Efforts are currently underway to mediate between the two groups and ensure that peace is restored, while preventing further escalation of the crisis.
