Houses burnt in Benue communal crisis

Several houses were on Wednesday set ablaze in Ikpayongo in Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State.

Tribune Online gathered from a native of the community that the crisis had been brewing before it escalated on Wednesday morning over a resistance to bury a deceased believed to be a settler (Mdaivur) in the community.

The source who simply identified himself as Sam told newsmen that there had been an agreement between settlers (Mdaivur) and the indigenes (Mbafombo) of the community that when a  settler dies he should not be buried in the community but the corpse must be taken to the country home.

“But contrary to the agreement, a settler (Mdaivur) died here and his people wanted to bury him here, so the indigenes (Mbafombo) resisted it, and the corpse were finally taken home for burial and thereafter the people returned and started trouble.

ALSO READ: Alleged pension fraud: I did not plot to assassinate anyone, escape from prison ― Maina

“The problem started this morning and you can see that the houses destroyed were selected but both sides were affected,” he said.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mukkadas Garba, who confirmed the crisis in Ikpayongo, said no casualty was recorded.

He said he would meet with the leaders of the community, perhaps with the view to ascertaining the root cause of the crisis.

“They are right now in my office and we will find out the cause of the problem,” Garba said.

The commissioner of police said most of the houses destroyed were thatched houses.