By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria

At least 18 people have been killed since Saturday in communal clashes in northeastern Nigeria’s Taraba state, the state-run news agency quoting a local community leader said Sunday.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, most of those killed in Dan-Anacha town were farmers.

Community leader Dooior Torkula told the agency the killings took place overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

Torkula is the chairman of the Concerned Taraba Tiv Youth Frontier, a popular umbrella body of the Tiv ethnic group in the region.

Locals told Anadolu Agency the clashes were between Fulani herdsmen and the Tiv community.

“The clashes began yesterday [Saturday] after two Fulani men were found dead and their cattle stolen. The tension led to reprisals and violent clashes between the two groups.

“We know of 20 casualties at the moment,” Terh Victor, a local from the area, told Anadolu Agency by phone on Sunday.

Police spokesman David Misal confirmed the attacks but did not say how many people were killed.

“I cannot say exactly how many casualties there are at the moment. But security agents have been deployed while investigation has begun to track down the attackers,” Misal told Anadolu Agency.