Pascal Arogorn Ibe
At least one person has been killed and several others injured in a feud that ensued between youths of two different settlements in the Water Board area of Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
The clash, which was said to have been triggered on Sunday as a result of a fight between two young men over a lady’s love at a party hall, also led to the destruction of properties worth millions of naira.
This degenerated to a crisis when one of the young men hired thugs to inflict mayhem on the other, who in turn, called on friends to assist in fighting back.
Houses and worship centres were destroyed while vehicles were burnt, and shops looted in the wake of the crisis.
It took the intervention of security operatives before the tension in the area was doused.
A businessman who specialises in a bread bakery, Salihu Sale, decried that he was affected by the clash between the youth groups.
He told Channels Television that after the fight broke out, he fled for safety along with his workers only for then to return to pack what was left of his bakery.
“This incident started four days ago as a minor scuffle without notice. It then degenerated into a fight between youths of two communities over a lady.
“It later became a religious fight between Christian and Muslim youths. They broke my doors and windows, but fortunately, security operatives arrived and took control of the situation and that is why I am here to pack what is left of my bakery,” he said.
Another eyewitness, Ezekiel Ali, said he saw the lifeless bodies of two youths on the ground after the fight.
“Although I am not a specialist, from what I saw, one of the victims was hit by bullets because we saw holes in his body,” he said.
The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Azare, who visited the area condemned the incident.
He stated that only one person was killed during the crisis, adding that the police have made a few arrests in connection with the crisis.
“From the report gathered by my men on the ground, only one person was confirmed killed with many injured and receiving treatment at the hospital,” he said.
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