From Joseph Hans Apuu, Lafia, Attah Ede, Makurdi
Nine persons were killed, several homes razed, barns destroyed and cattle rustled following a violent clash between youths in Ponglong area of Lalin district, Mikang Local Government Area of Plateau state.
The communal clash between Montol and Taroh ethnic groups in Ponglong community happened on Saturday night.
The Transition Chairman of the council, Mr Daniel Kungmi said the clash which started between two persons led to youths taking up arms.
Trouble started around 6pm on Saturday following a farmland dispute.
Though security operatives had calmed down the situation, colossal damage had already been done.
The chairman of the local council said, “Within a short while, the situation degenerated leading to burning down of houses and barns.
“Several criminal elements took advantage of the unfortunate situation and rustled cattle.
“Immediately we got the news of the clash, we called on security operatives who moved swiftly to the affected community to restore law and order.
“I just returned from the community and the situation is under control, but we cannot ascertain the number of persons killed in the clash.
“I call on the people to be more tolerable and cautious of undesirable elements that might want to take advantage of the unfortunate situation to inflict harm on innocent persons.”
Stampede Nasarawa, Bauchi
It was equally a sad weekend for the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) where two students lost their lives and 17 others injured in a stampede during palliative distribution by the Nasarawa State government.
Dr Ahmed Kana, the Head of Clinical Medical Services, Federal Medical Centre, Keffi confirmed the death to newsmen.
According to Kana, two students were confirmed dead, both females while out of the 17 injured students brought to the medical centre, only one was a male.
“For now most of them are stable and we are resuscitating others and by God’s grace some of them will go home very soon.
“What is important for us now is to treat the emergency cases and ensure there is no more fatality,” he said.
It would be recalled that Governor Abdullahi Sule, during a visit to the Federal University Lafia; College of Education, Akwanga; College of Agriculture, Lafia; among others and donated 7.5 kg packs of rice and N5,000 cash to students to cushion the economic hardship experienced across the country.
The governor was scheduled to extend similar gesture to the students of NSUK on Friday but even before his arrival, students had thronged the location of the palliative distribution, the university convocation square and looted the food resulting in stampede.
The Vice Chancellor of NSUK, Prof. Suleiman Bala expressed shock over the tragic incident.
Addressing the press, Bala lamented the loss of lives, describing the day as a sombre one in the annals of NSUK’s history.
He said that the state government had provided palliatives consisting two bags of rice accompanied by monetary assistance to over 4,000 students.
He said the distribution process was marred by impatience, resulting in the stampede and subsequent casualties.
The governor in a press statement on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Adra expressed profound shock and sadness over the stampede.
The governor directed the authorities of the university and security agencies to commence immediate investigation into the unfortunate occurrence with a view to unveiling those behind it.
The statement reads, “Governor Sule deeply regrets the tragic death of two students of the institution in this needless stampede motivated by crime.
“Such distribution was a huge success and peacefully carried out at Federal University, Lafia, Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Lafia, College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia, the School of Nursing, Lafia as well as the College of Education, Akwanga.
“I pray their souls rest in peace. Our thoughts and condolences go to their families and friends at this moment of grief.
“These young people’s lives cut short in their prime under such circumstance is painful.”
Similarly, four persons were confirmed dead in a stampede during the distribution of alms by a philanthropist in Bauchi, Bauchi State.
The spokesperson of the Bauchi State Police Command, Mr Ahmed Wakil said the incident occured on Sunday at the AYM Shafa Holdings Office, when hundreds of people gathered to collect alms from a philanthropist, Alhaji Yakubu Maishanu.
He said the command received a distress call from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), about the victims being rushed to the facility for medical attention.
“The Commissioner of Police, Auwal Musa directed for urgent action and mobilised personnel to the scene.
“The police operative joined the rescue operation, cordoned off the area to prevent further casualties while the exercise was stopped,” he said.
Wakil said that four females had been confirmed dead by a medical doctor while others were receiving treatment at the hospital.
The spokesman urged individuals and organisations engaged in philanthropist and humanitarian services to report to the police and make adequate arrangements in their distribution exercises to forestall future occurrences.
Gunmen Kidnaps 10 passengers in Benue
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers reportedly kidnapped 10 passengers at Jootar community in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
Jootar is located between Taraba/Benue States borders.
A local who spoke on condition of anonymity told journalists on phone that the driver of the affected vehicle who escaped being kidnapped narrated the attack.
He disclosed that the driver of the Sharon vehicle explained that he picked up 10 passengers at Takum Junction in Wukari, Taraba State heading to Gboko in Benue State when the incident happened.
“The driver told me he was to drop them [passengers] in Gboko where they would get another vehicle to Akure in Ondo State.
“They took his phone. He had to use somebody’s phone to call me as soon as the incident happened. He is somebody I know very well.
“The incident happened around noon on Friday. That is what he told me. He picked them up from Takum, and the incident happened just 2kilomrtres to Jootar, Ukum LGA,” the source explained.
The driver was said to have reported the case at the Jootar police station.
When contacted, the lawmaker who represents Ukum State Constituency in the State Assembly, Ezra Nyiyongo said he received such a report.
He said, “I was told that a vehicle was intercepted. According to what I heard since I am not the one who spoke with the driver, he said he picked those people from Wukari, Taraba State, conveying them to Gboko.
“From Gboko, according to him, they were going to Akure for menial jobs. I am not quite sure. I am just reporting from the driver’s words. They were intercepted in Jootar in Ukum LGA.”
“This guy [driver] called me that his vehicle was stopped by heavily armed gunmen.
“They took his bus, abandoned him and drove into the bush with 10 persons who looked like artisans whom he was supposed to drop off in Gboko.”
The chairman of Ukum Local Government Area, Victor Iorzaa said he could not confirm the incident, stating that both the Divisional Police Officer and the Chief Security Officer of the local government area said they did not have such report.
Also, the state Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina said the command was not aware of the incident.
Crash Claims Mother, Injures Three Children
Another tragic event was a crash that resulted in the death of mother and injury of three of her children in Ikorodu area of Lagos.
Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos State, Benjamin Hundeyin said the Ikorodu Police Division received information of the accident on Friday at about 9:41pm.
According to him, the information received revealed that on same Friday, at about 9:35 pm, in front of Ikorodu Radio Solebo along Igbogbo Road Ikorodu, the accident occurred.
He said, “There occurred a fatal motor/pedestrian accident involving a Mercedes Benz C350 car driven by a 22-year-old man (name withheld) and pedestrians.
”he victims: one Ngozi, 40, her three children ages 16, 14 and 13. The driver was said to have lost control of his car while coming from Igbogbo, heading towards Ebute and hit the said Ngozi and her three children.
“They were said to be selling groundnut at the scene of incident. As a result of the accident, the victims sustained different degrees of injuries.
“They were all rushed to the Ikorodu General Hospital by the police, where the mother was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty while her three children were admitted for medical treatment.”
Hundeyin said that the corpse of the mother had been deposited at the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
He said that the driver was in police custody for investigation.
