Communal clashes leave 2 dead in Abuja

Ayorinde Oluokun

Two persons have died in the Nigerian capital of Abuja as the Gwari people and nomadic Fulani in Gwako, a community under Gwagwalada Local Government Area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja clashed at the weekend.

Over 1,500 people became homeless in the violence, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Yushau Shuaib, NEMA’s head of public relations said the prompt intervention of officials of FCT, NEMA AND security personnel from the police, civil defence corps and the military helped to curtail the escalation of the crisis which started Saturday as a result of encroachment of herd of cattle into farmlands in the area.

The Director General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani-Sidi commended the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Muhammad for the promptness of his agencies and his physical presence at scenes, appealed to the warring parties to live peacefully with one another and eschew any form of violent as we enter the New Year.

Sani-Sidi according to the statement , disclosed that two lives were lost and 27 communities affected. He said that over 1500 internally displaced people are currently squatting in a temporary camp on the permanent campus of the University of Abuja in Gwagwalada area.

It was added in the statement that the Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Muhammad led other government agencies to assess the impact of the appeal to the communities to remain calm as the government would ensure that the causes of the crisis would soon be addressed so that they could return to their homes.

The Minister had asked NEMA to provide more amenities to the victim in the camp as he also constituted an emergency team for conflict resolution and relief distribution to the affected communities which had membership from response agencies and Urban Affairs Department of FCTA.