A disagreement over a traditional leadership title has ended in tragedy after two men fatally stabbed each other in Gbajibo village, Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.
The victims, identified as 25-year-old Ahmadu Isah and 30-year-old Ilyasu Umar Sayidi, reportedly engaged in a heated argument on Friday over who should assume a traditional family head position. The altercation later turned violent.
Confirming the incident in a telephone interview on Monday, the Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, said the dispute quickly escalated into a knife fight.
According to Abiodun, Ilyasu initially attacked Ahmadu and stabbed him in the neck.
In the ensuing struggle, Ahmadu overpowered him, seized the knife, and retaliated by stabbing Ilyasu in the same area.
“On October 3, 2025, at about 5:50 p.m., a report was received from Gbajibo village, Mokwa LGA, that one Ahmadu Isah was attacked by one Ilyasu Umar Sayidi with a knife.
Ilyasu stabbed Ahmadu on the neck, and in the process, Ahmadu managed to collect the knife and stabbed Ilyasu back,” Abiodun said.
He added that both men sustained severe injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were later confirmed dead.
The police spokesman further disclosed that the incident was linked to a long-standing family dispute over the village headship title.
He said officers have since met with both families and cautioned them against taking the law into their own hands.
In a similar incident reported earlier in July, a land dispute between two neighbouring communities in Niger State claimed one life and left six others injured.
Observers say the recurring clashes highlight the growing tension over traditional leadership and land ownership in some parts of the state.