India, July 3 -- A simmering land dispute between rival ethnic groups in north-central Nigeria erupted into catastrophic violence this week, leaving at least 18 people dead, including 15 who were burned alive inside a home, local authorities have confirmed on Thursday.

The killings, which spanned Monday through Wednesday, underscore a dangerous escalation of resource-driven friction in Niger State, an area already deeply fractured by a complex web of ethnic rivalries, banditry, and economic distress.

A Tragic Sequence of Retaliation

The bloodshed began on Monday afternoon in Godoro, a village situated in the Rafi local government area, before rapidly spiralling out of control. According to law enforcement officials, the initial catalys...