11 Feared Dead, 50 Houses Razed In Nasarawa Communal Violence

No fewer than 11 persons have been reportedly killed, while over 50 houses were set ablaze following a violent communal clash in Akyawa and Udege Kasa communities in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

The violence, according to the police, was allegedly carried out by suspected hoodlums in what authorities described as a reprisal attack over the earlier killing of two persons believed to be related to the assailants.

Spokesperson of the Nasarawa State Police Command, Ramhan Nansel, disclosed in a statement on Saturday that the tragic incident occurred on Friday, prompting immediate intervention by security agencies.

He said the Commissioner of Police, Shetima Mohammed, visited the affected communities and expressed deep sympathy to families of the victims, assuring residents that those responsible would be brought to justice.

According to him, the police commissioner has ordered a full-scale manhunt for all those involved in the attack, with tactical teams and investigators directed to intensify efforts toward arresting and prosecuting the culprits.

Nansel added that security presence has been strengthened in the area through joint deployment involving the police, military, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

During a stakeholders’ engagement in the community, the police commissioner appealed to residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information that could aid investigation.

The police command, however, stated that normalcy has gradually returned to the affected communities, while preventive measures have been put in place to avoid another outbreak of violence.