Police confirm one killed in Plateau ethnic clash

The Rukuba and Iregwe tribes have been embroiled in an age-long land dispute.

Three persons were killed on Monday in a clash between two ethnic groups in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, residents said.

But the spokesperson of the Special Task Force on Jos crisis, STF, Iweha Ikedichi, who confirmed that there was a clash, said only one woman died.

Briefing journalists at the Plateau State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Mr. Ikedichi said security agents intervened and put a stop to the clash between the Rukuba and Iregwe people.

“Our own troop have taken control of the situation, two persons were arrested in connection with the incident. Unfortunately, before the arrival of our own troop, a woman had already been killed,” Mr.  Ikedichi said.

The STF media officer said “two houses were burnt in the incident, two locally made guns, and 10 cutlasses were recovered from the suspects.”

The Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, Felicia Anslem, also confirmed the incident in a telephone interview.
“We are aware of an incident in Bassa, but I do not have details at the moment. However, security has been deployed to the affected area,” she said.

A witness told PREMIUM TIMES that an elderly woman was killed by suspected Iregwe speaking individuals over a land disagreement. She was found dead on the farm in the early hours of Monday.

Other witnesses said two other youth were also killed on the same issue.

Residents of Bassa Local Government Area, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES, said they were living in total fear, as the Rukuba ethnic group, who are dominant residents of the area, have threatened to avenge the death of their kinsmen.

The Chairman of the council, David Racha, did not pick calls when PREMIUM TIMES called to get more details.

The land dispute is an age-long one between the Rukuba and Iregwe tribe.