At least 11 people were killed and about 50 houses destroyed in a violent clash in Akywa and Udege Kasa communities in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on April 3, 2026. The attack occurred in the early hours of Friday and was reportedly a reprisal for the alleged killing of two individuals. Police Public Relations Officer SP Ramhan Nansel confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Lafia on Saturday.
Commissioner of Police CP Shetima Jauro Mohammed visited the affected areas and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and property. He described the attackers as hoodlums suspected of carrying out the reprisal, which also resulted in two houses being burnt in Udege Kasa. CP Shetima has ordered an intensive manhunt, directing tactical and investigative units to identify, arrest, and prosecute those responsible.
Security has been reinforced in the area through joint deployment of police, military, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel. A stakeholders' meeting was held during the commissioner's visit, where residents were urged to remain calm and support security agencies. Police command stated that normalcy has been restored and measures are in place to prevent further violence.
Eleven lives were lost not in war, but in a local reprisal attack that unfolded with alarming precision. CP Shetima Jauro Mohammed's swift visit and deployment of multiple security agencies signal reaction, not prevention. When police responses follow bloodshed rather than forestall it, the cycle of violence in rural communities like Akywa and Udege Kasa remains predictable. For residents, the presence of troops today does little to rebuild homes or trust.
