There was pandemonium in Kaiama, a community in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, on Thursday following a violent clash between personnel of the Nigerian Army and Ijaw youths protesting the presence of Fulani herdsmen in their farmlands.
Naija News learnt that the protest, which began as peaceful, was prompted by the alleged brutal attack of a local farmer by suspected herders earlier in the week.
The victim, said to be an indigene of the area, was reportedly attacked on his farmland.
Angered by the incident, hundreds of Ijaw youths took to the streets, calling on the Bayelsa State Government and traditional rulers to urgently evict the herdsmen whom they accused of destroying farmland and posing a threat to community safety.
“One of our brothers was attacked on his farm and left for dead. Instead of addressing the issue, they are now turning against us,” one of the protesters who requested anonymity told SaharaReporters.
Protest Turns Chaotic As Military Intervenes
Naija News understands that the supposed peaceful protest spiralled into chaos when troops reportedly attached to the Joint Military Task Force stormed the area in an attempt to disperse the gathering.
Eyewitnesses said the soldiers fired multiple warning shots into the air, triggering panic and confusion among residents and protesters.
“We were only protesting peacefully when the army came and started shooting into the air,” another protester said. “We were not violent, we only wanted our voices to be heard.”
Below is a video clip from the protest.
The confrontation has further stoked long-standing tensions between local communities and nomadic herdsmen, particularly over land use disputes, destruction of crops, and rising insecurity.
Kaiama, a historically significant Ijaw town known for its role in minority rights activism, has witnessed similar tensions in the past.
Naija News understands that Thursday’s unrest has once again thrown the issue of herder-community relations into the spotlight.
As of press time, there had been no official statement from the Bayelsa State Government or the Nigerian Army regarding the clash.
However, local sources confirmed that community elders and security officials have moved in to calm the situation.
Efforts are underway to reach out to all parties involved in order to prevent further escalation, even as residents remain tense and demand justice for the assaulted farmer.
Bayelsa, like many states in the Niger Delta, has grappled with tensions between farmers and herders. Reports of crop destruction, cattle grazing in farmlands, and violent altercations have become common in recent years.
Before the Thursday incident, residents had repeatedly raised alarms over the increasing presence of herders in communities with limited law enforcement oversight.
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