Not less than 60 people have been killed in another fight between the Alago and Eggon people at Tudun Adabu area of Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
Investigations by our correspondent in Lafia, the state capital, showed that the fight was between Alago extraction and Eggon nationality in the state.
An eyewitness said the fight was initially between Eggon and Fulani herdsmen in Assakio headquarters of Lafia East development area of the state, which later extended to Tudun Adabu in Obi Local Government area on Wednesday, living scores homeless.
It was also gathered that all the inhabitants of Assakio, Tudun Adabu and Dedere have deserted their homes as a result of the crisis in the areas.
The Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-makura, yesterday visited Wamba, Akwanga and Nasarawa Eggon Local Government areas, to ascertain the level of destruction. He also donated relief materials to the Internally Displaced Persons affected by the crisis.
Sources who did not want their names in print told our correspondent that the crisis began on Wednesday when the Eggon people who were fighting with Fulanis discovered that the Alago youths had joined forces with the Fulani mercenaries to fight. In anger, they turned their guns at the Alago at Tudun Adabu killing more than 60 people, injuring scores.
One of the sources said, “Dedera, Assakio and Tudun Adabu are no go areas and all the inhabitants have deserted all the affected places.”
The sources said some of the people that were killed were abandoned in the bush and there were no provisions from the state government to evacuate the bodies.
“The state government had continued to remain adamant on the crisis which started five days ago, the governor was at the NYSC orientation camp where the batch ‘B’ corps members were passing out after successfully completing the three weeks training while the state was on fire,” they said.
Consequently, the crisis has affected not only the warring communities, but the Ibgo, Igala, Tiv, Afor, Koro and all other tribes living in the affected areas, leading to large numbers of displaced persons in the state.
Confirming the incident in a telephone interview, state’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ismaila Numan, said for now he could not ascertain the casualty figure, but investigation was in progress.
Meanwhile, as at the time of filling this report , a security council meeting comprising of the military, police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other security agencies in the state was going on. Punch