At least 40 individuals lost their lives when Muslim gunmen targeted a Christian farming community in Nigeria’s north-central region, according to President Bola Tinubu on Monday, April 14. The incident took place late Sunday night, April 13, 2025, in the Zike community within Plateau state, marking the latest in a troubling series of violent episodes in Africa’s most populous nation.
President Tinubu, in a formal statement, offered his sympathies to the bereaved families and directed security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
Reports from Amnesty International indicated that the victims included children and elderly residents who were caught off guard and unable to flee. A resident stated that the gunmen looted and destroyed homes in the area. The resident also reported seeing bodies in the aftermath, suggesting the number of casualties could surpass 50. No arrests have been made.
The attackers are suspected to be herders from the Fulani tribe, a predominantly Muslim group linked to mass killings in Nigeria’s northwest and central regions. These violent events have become more frequent as herders and farmers vie for limited land and water resources.
Samuel Jugo, from the Irigwe Development Association, noted that at least 75 people from the Irigwe, a Christian ethnic group, have been killed since December 2024. Despite the increased presence of security forces, Jugo described the recent attack as “very provocative, vexing and undeserving.”
The violence has taken on ethnic and religious tones, with predominantly Muslim Fulani herders clashing with predominantly Christian farming communities. This conflict has intensified due to factors such as population pressure, climate change, and the erosion of traditional conflict resolution methods.
Data from Amnesty International highlights the severity of the violence in Plateau state, with 1,336 people killed between December 2023 and February 2024. This high fatality rate indicates the measures by the Tinubu administration have been largely ineffective.
The conflict in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region is exacerbated by the growing scarcity of resources. Desertification and shifting rainfall patterns have pushed Fulani herders southward in search of grazing land, leading to direct competition with farming communities. Ambiguous land laws and weak law enforcement further complicate peaceful resolution efforts.
While some view the violence as primarily resource-driven, others point to religious undertones. The Fulani herders, often armed with advanced weapons, are accused by some Christian groups of pursuing an Islamization agenda. However, many security experts emphasize that competition for dwindling natural resources is a core issue.
The Nigerian government has tried various strategies to address the conflict, including enacting anti-grazing laws and creating grazing reserves. In 2019, the government launched the National Livestock Transformation Plan to shift Nigeria’s livestock sector from a pastoral to a ranching system. Implementation has been hindered by distrust between herders and farmers and ongoing security challenges.
Violence in the north-central region is just one of several security issues in Nigeria. In May 2024, a similar attack in remote Plateau state villages resulted in at least 40 deaths. The land resource conflict is distinct from the insurgency by Boko Haram, Nigeria’s jihadist group opposing Western education and secular governance since 2009.
The farmer-herder conflict has spread beyond Nigeria, affecting other West and Central African countries, including Mali and Burkina Faso. Research from the Africa Center notes that more than 15,000 deaths have been linked to this violence in the region since 2010.
International organizations monitoring the situation have called for comprehensive approaches to address the root causes of the violence. These include investing in land management infrastructure, training local leaders in dispute resolution, and building trust between communities and security forces.
As communities in Plateau State mourn their losses, concerns persist about the potential for further violence in the area. With climate change expected to increase pressure on already scarce resources, addressing the conflict’s root causes will be crucial for breaking the cycle of violence that has claimed numerous lives in recent years.
