At least 10 people were injured after residents of Chirif Magaji and Chirif Dikko communities in Rabah Local Government Area of Sokoto State clashed over a disputed farmland.

The two communities have reportedly been arguing over the ownership and use of the land for nearly three years, but the disagreement turned violent on Tuesday.

A security source quoted by Daily Trust said the conflict is about which community has the right to farm the land.

According to the source, local authorities had previously intervened and reached a peace deal that allowed both communities to share the farmland.

“Earlier today, we received a distress call reporting a violent confrontation between the communities. Security personnel were immediately deployed to restore order,” the source said.

The source explained that the violence started when members of one community went to clear the farmland and were allegedly ambushed by rivals armed with Dane guns and machetes.

“The attackers opened fire, injuring six people. Upon learning of the incident, members of the affected community mobilised and launched a reprisal attack, during which four people from the opposing community were injured,” the source added.

All injured victims were taken to hospital for treatment. The source dismissed social media reports claiming the incident was a bandit attack, insisting it was linked to the long-running land dispute.

No deaths had been recorded at the time of reporting.

Reports say some of the victims sustained gunshot wounds, while others suffered machete cuts. Some are receiving treatment at the General Hospital in Rabah, while those with more severe injuries have been referred to the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital.

Confirming the incident, the Rabah Local Government chairman, Yusuf Muhammad Rabah, said the situation had been brought under control.

“It is true that the incident occurred, but we have been able to calm the situation,” he said.

The spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, said he was yet to receive a formal briefing about the dispute.

A commercial bus driver lost his life on Tuesday following a fatal multiple-vehicle accident at Cele inward Oshodi area of Lagos.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, confirmed the incident in a statement issued by the Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment of the agency, Adebayo Taofiq.

According to the statement, the crash involved a commercial mini bus popularly known as “Korokpe” and a Toyota Tundra pickup truck with registration number EPE 554 YC.

Initial findings by security operatives at the scene showed that the driver of the commercial bus suffered severe injuries from the impact of the collision and died instantly.

LASTMA officials who were on routine traffic monitoring along the corridor were said to have quickly moved to the scene to coordinate emergency response efforts, control traffic movement and prevent further obstruction on the busy route.

The agency explained that its officers worked together with personnel of the Nigeria Police Force from the Cele-Ijesha Division to recover the remains of the deceased driver.

The body was later released to members of his family within the area.

The statement added that the damaged vehicles involved in the accident were promptly evacuated from the road by LASTMA officials to restore normal traffic flow and ensure public safety.

The vehicles were later handed over to the police for detailed investigation to determine both the immediate and remote causes of the accident as well as possible legal responsibilities.

“The vehicles were thereafter handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for exhaustive investigation into both the immediate and remote causes of the crash, with a view to determining liability and facilitating any necessary legal proceedings,” the statement said.  

Despite the disruption caused by the crash, traffic movement was restored along the corridor following swift intervention and traffic management measures put in place by LASTMA personnel.

Reacting to the incident, the General Manager of  LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, sympathised with the family of the deceased and urged motorists, especially commercial drivers, to always drive responsibly and obey traffic regulations.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, Kayode Opeifa, says the death toll from the Warri–Itakpe train derailment has risen to five.

Opeifa, while confirming this on Tuesday, said emergency responders were swiftly deployed to the scene, with injured passengers evacuated to nearby medical facilities for treatment, while investigations into the cause of the derailment are ongoing.

He assured that safety assessments were being intensified across the rail network to prevent a recurrence.

According to him, relevant technical teams had been mobilised to determine the factors that led to the accident.

The NRC boss stressed that authorities were also working to support affected families, while efforts continue to restore normal operations along the corridor.

DAILY POST reports that the Warri–Itakpe rail line remains one of Nigeria’s major standard gauge routes, serving both passenger and freight movement across multiple states.

The derailment of the rail line occurred on Monday.