Aisha Suleiman, Birnin Kebbi
Authorities in Kebbi State have imposed a night-time curfew on Garin Katta community after a violent clash among artisanal gold miners left one person dead and several properties destroyed, officials and residents said on Monday.
The curfew, which runs from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily, was introduced following two days of unrest in the Yauri Local Government Area.
Residents said the fighting began on Saturday when a disagreement among miners turned fatal.
“We heard that one of the miners was attacked and killed during the quarrel. By Sunday morning, his relatives stormed the community for revenge,” said Musa Aliyu, a resident.
Lawan Ibrahim, another witness, described the reprisal attacks as chaotic. “They went from house to house, setting motorcycles ablaze and breaking into shops. Everyone was running for safety. It was like a war zone,” he told Kano Times.
The violence continued overnight as both sides launched fresh attacks. “We could not sleep through the night. The sound of shouting and things being destroyed filled the air,” said Malam Shehu, a trader in the area.
Abubakar Shuaibu, chairman of Yauri Local Government, confirmed the incident and said he had alerted the Police Area Commander and officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) before the violence escalated.
Authorities later recovered the body of the deceased miner, who was buried according to Islamic rites.