No fewer than 11 persons have been confirmed killed with more than 50 houses burnt in a fresh communal crisis broke on Saturday in Akyawa and Udege Kasa communities of Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
Spokesman of the state police command, SP Ramhan Nansel, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday in Lafia, said the conflict broke out on Friday, when suspected hoodlums carried out a reprisal attack over alleged killing of two of their kinsmen.
According to the police spokesperson, “In the course of the attack, 11 people were killed, while about 52 houses were burnt in the two communities.”
Nansel said the states Commissioner of Police, Shetima Mohammed, had led a team of senior officers on an on-the-spot assessment to the affected communities to ascertain the level of destruction and ensure that normalcy was restored.
He said the CP expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident and commiserated with the families of the deceased and the communities, assuring them of the Command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that justice was served.
According to Nansel, said the CP has ordered an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators of the heinous act and directed tactical teams and investigative units to ensure their prompt identification, arrest, and prosecution.
“To prevent any further breakdown of law and order, the Commissioner of Police has also directed the immediate reinforcement and sustained deployment of Police personnel to the affected areas,” he said.
He further explained that the police were working in collaboration with the Military and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to provide adequate security and restore lasting peace in the area.
The spokesperson further said a stakeholders’ meeting was held during the visit, where the CP urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information to support ongoing investigations.
He, therefore, reassured members of the public that normalcy had been restored to the affected communities, while proactive measures had been taken to prevent any recurrence of violence.