Many injured, property destroyed as Gbagyi, Hausa clash in Abuja

MANY injured while property worth millions of naira were destroyed, on Monday, in a communal clash between Gbagyi natives and Hausa residents in Bwari, a community within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that the crisis was initially cult-related but later became an ethno-religious clash following the death of a native of the town.

When contacted on phone, however, the FCT Police Command spokesperson, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Manza confirmed the incident, saying the information was still sketchy but the security personnel have taken over the place and normalcy has since returned to the community.

The latest uproar, according to an eyewitness, was not unconnected with the recently turbaning of a new Hausa traditional ruler known as Sarkin Bwari who is of a different lineage from the Gbagyi people who are traditionally known with the title of Esu of Bwari.

It was further gathered that protests later followed the formal appointment of Awwal Musa Ijakoro, son of the late Mohammed Musa Ijakoro as the Sarkin Bwari with the natives protesting and accusing the Minister of FCT, Malam Mohammed Musa Bello and other officials FCT administration of conniving to deprive them of their right to be the paramount rulers of the town.

The unconfirmed report further said that many people died during the fracas.

The investigation further revealed that the main market in the community has been burnt down with some buildings torched by the warring residents who were mostly youths.

It was leant that Gbagyi people were claiming that the new Sarkin Bwari is not from the town but from a community in Niger State, hence he should not have been turbanned and even elevated to second class title from the initial third class that his late father was erroneously turbanned.

Confirming the incident, the police image maker, DSP Manza said: “the most important thing is to bring the situation under control and our men and other security operatives are already there and normalcy has since returned. I cannot tell you anything now about casualty because the information is still sketchy and we are still working on it”.