Nasarawa: 17 killed in Eggon, Fulani clash

No fewer than 17 people were killed on
Sunday night during a clash between
suspected Eggon youths and their Fulani
counterparts in Alingani Fadaman Bauna,
Lafia East Council Development Area of
Nasarawa State.
The PUNCH learnt on Monday that the clash
ensued when the Eggon youth attacked
Alingani for the destruction of their farms
by cattle belonging to the Fulani.
Investigations showed that the youth had on
Saturday evening launched an attack on
worshipers in a mosque, killing about three
people and injuring many others.
The PUNCH also gathered that the youth also
burnt down houses belonging to the fleeing
Fulani cattle rustlers.
Our correspondent sighted more than 100
Eggon refugees comprising women and
children who fled their ancestral homes.
The refugees were brought to the state capital
in a truck to the Dalhatu Specialist Hospital.
An Eggon indigene , Musa Idris and Aisha
Sule, said, "We cannot continue to stay in that
community again because the Fulani have
already taken over the entire community and
there is no security man there to protect us.
"As we are talking to you now, our houses
have been burnt by the attackers and our
farms have been destroyed by the Fulani.
"The policemen that came to the area to
rescue us were overpowered by the Fulani
herdsmen in the area."
An eye witness told our correspondent that
the people that were killed were more than
25. He added that their corpses were dumped
in a bush.
He said the fight broke out when the Fulani
herdsmen encroached on farmlands belonging
to the Eggon.
When contacted on the telephone, the state
Secretary of Mayetta Allah Cattle
Breeders Association, Altai Hussein
Abubakar, said that four Fulani people were
killed by Ombatse militia.
He said, "Our leaders from both Eggon and
Fulani communities in the state must not
allow youths to set such a violent social
agenda for us. So we are calling on our
leaders, the government and security agencies
to halt this lingering violent aggression."
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ismaila
Numan, Nasarawa State Command, said the
Police took the three injured persons to the
Dalhatu Araf