Jos communal clash: 35 killed, commissioner’s house burnt, 1 kidnapped

THE communal clash between the people of Tarok and Fulani in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State took a frightening dimension on Wednesday with the killing of no fewer than thirty five people, while property worth millions of naira were destroyed on both sides of the divide.

It is recalled that two people who are of Tarok origin were killed in the local government area on Monday by those  suspected to be Fulani herdsmen and their bodies dumped along Wase –Kadarko road leading to hostilities before the intervention of the men of the Special Task Force.

A source close to the local government told Nigerian Tribune that the latest incident was sparked off by some youths on reprisal mission who invaded Mavo village in the early hours of Wednesday, leading to confrontation between the inhabitants of the village and the invaders.

In the melee that ensued, the source disclosed that  no fewer than thirty five people were killed on both sides while houses and other properties including motorcycles were burnt beyond recognition. One of the houses razed down belong to the serving Commissioner of Water Resources in the state, Alhaji Idi Waziri.

An eye witness who escaped by the whisker from the scene of the incident said the clash lasted several hours before men of the Special Task Force got to the village and took over the entire area and as well repelled attackers from advancing to the headquarters of  the local government.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that both the State Police Command and the Special Task Force in charge of security in the state have deplored more men to the local government while making frantic efforts to restore normalcy to the troubled council area.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Chris Olakpe, confirmed eight people dead in the communal clash, adding that normalcy had since been returned to the affected area.

However, the Special Task Force in charge of security in the state, in a statement signed by its media coordinator, Captain Salisu Mustapha, said  STF personnel deployed in the area swiftly moved to the scene of the incident and repelled the attack.

It pointed out that three of the suspected attackers were arrested and currently undergoing investigation, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other perpetrators.

In a related development, a veterinary officer with Wase Local Government Area of the state was kidnapped by some gunmen and taken hostage.

An in-law to the officer, who is a member of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Timothy Golu, told the Nigerian Tribune that the kidnapped victim was on his way back from a village where he had gone to administer vaccine on some cattles belonging to Fulani herdsmen when he was abducted.
According to him, he, alongside members of the family, had been communicating with one of the captors, who is in possession of the phone of his in-law, pleading with them to release him, adding that no ransom had been demanded.


Tribune