At least 11 persons were killed while more than 50 houses burnt in a communal crisis in Akyawa and Udege Kasa communities of Nasarawa Local Government Area, on Friday.
SP Ramhan Nansel, spokesman of the Nasarawa State Police Command, confirmed this in a statement issued on Saturday, in Lafia.
He said suspected hoodlums had carried out a reprisal attack over the alleged killing of two of their kinsmen.
“In the course of the attack, 11 people were killed, while about 52 houses were burnt in the two communities,” he said.
Nansel stated Shetima Mohammed, the Commissioner of Police (CP) in the state, had led a team on an on-the-spot assessment to the affected communities to ascertain the level of destruction and ensure that normalcy was restored.
He said that the CP expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident and commiserated with the families of the deceased and the communities, assuring them of the Command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that justice was served.
According to Nansel, said the CP has ordered an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators of the heinous act and directed tactical teams and investigative units to ensure their prompt identification, arrest, and prosecution.
“To prevent any further breakdown of law and order, the Commissioner of Police has also directed the immediate reinforcement and sustained deployment of Police personnel to the affected areas,” he said.
He further explained that the police were working in collaboration with the Military and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to provide adequate security and restore lasting peace in the area.
The police spokesperson further said that a stakeholders’ meeting was held during the visit, where the CP urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information to support ongoing investigations.
He, therefore, reassured members of the public that normalcy had been restored to the affected communities, while proactive measures had been taken to prevent any recurrence of violence.
