2 die, mosque and church burnt as Hausa traders allegedly clash with Rivers inidgenes

2 die, mosque and church burnt as Hausa traders allegedly clash with Rivers inidgenes

- The clash reportedly led to the razing sown of a church and a mosque as well as the killing of two people

- It was learnt that the violence started when the Hausa traders refused to pay their daily levies to a task force set up to collect same

A major clash between Hausas resident in Rivers and indigenes of Onne in Eleme local government area of the state has left two people dead, reports have indicated.

Several other people also sustained injury while a church and a mosque were allegedly vandalized.

The Punch reports that members of a local government task force had gone to Opaku Park in Onne mostly inhabited by the Hausa community and asked the traders to pay their daily levies.

2 die, mosque and church burnt as Hausa traders clash with Rivers inidgenes
Part of the church that was razed and vandalised

According to the report, the tension began after one of the Hausa traders opted not to pay the daily levy.

In the fracas that ensured, a member of the task force was said to have been killed.

Legit.ng learnt that angered by the death of the community member, some indigenes were said to have joined in the fight allegedly leading to the razing of a mosque and the death of one of the Hausa traders.

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The Hausas reportedly retaliated by razing down a church and vandalizing its property.

Giving a version of what led to the violence, Ledisi Menegbo, said the incident happened late Sunday, June 18 while a three-day revival program was ongoing in one of the newly established branches of The Apostolic Church Okpako, situated along Onne FOT road Rivers state.

“Hausa boys from Trailer Park invaded the church well armed.

2 die, mosque and church burnt as Hausa traders clash with Rivers inidgenes
The church was said to have been vandalised in the heat of the violence

“They destroyed the church building, cars parked outside the church, made away with valuable church properties, chairs, speakers and other sound equipment, money among others.

“They left many wounded with varying degrees of machete and knife cuts, they walked on new born babies like normal floors, mothers were left in tears as they were separated from their babies, they killed one guy who was resisting them, some children's whereabouts yet to be known as I speak, they pushed down one of the buildings people ran in for refuge and the wall fell on people leaving many badly injured,” he alleged.

Watch a video of the alleged devastation here:

He said one of the hoodlums was caught and handed over to the police, but alleged that no serious action was taken.

He also claimed that the hoodlums promised to come back to finish the work they started.

The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force in the state, Mr Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident, but said it was a clash between Hausa traders and some members of a task force in Onne.

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He also confirmed that a mosque and a church were razed during the violence, but that peace had returned to the community.

“We are aware of the development, though I am yet to get full details. We have swung into action and our men have been deployed in the area to maintain calm,” he said.

Meanwhile, a 27-year-old well-trained killer identified as Nurudeen Kazeem also known as Onyabo, has been arrested by the Lagos state Rapid Respond Squad during a robbery.

Onyabo is reportedly well-known and feared by the residents of LASU–Iyana Iba axis as a member of the Eiye confraternity.

According to a report by police PRO, Malik Nasir, the notorious killer was reportedly hired by another man, a 30-year-old Wilfred Ehis, to help rob and killed unsuspecting delivery men.

Watch this video of a visit to the home of alleged billionaire kidnapper Evans in Lagos state:

Source: Legit.ng

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