Laleye Dipo in Minna
A communal clash between Kambari and Fulani ethnic nationalities in Magama Local Government Area of Niger on Tuesday has claimed two lives.
The police station in the area and the district heads palace was also burnt down by the rampaging Fulani and Kambari people.
THISDAY learnt that the incident followed the purchase of land in Salka town by the Fulani which the Kambari, the original owners of the place, vehemently opposed.
Trouble was said to have started when the leadership of the two ethnic nationalities led a peace meeting to the disputed parcel of land but as the peace talk went on things turned awry leading to a Fulani man attacking a Kambari man with a machete.
The situation deteriorated to a free for all with various dangerous weapons being deployed on each other by the warring villagers.
It was gathered that more people from the two ethnic groups joined the fight, which escalated into the burning of the district heads palace, police station and about 30 huts belonging to the Fulanis people.
“People ran for their lives, resulting in many sustaining injuries” an eyewitness told THISDAY.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, when contacted confirmed the incident and expressed sadness at the development before saying that security has been deployed to the area to restore peace and order.
Also contacted the Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Services, Mr. Emmanuel Umar, also confirmed the incident, saying that the state government is on top of the situation to restore calm in the area.
However tension was still very high in the area as at the time of filing this report.
