Many injured in Akwa Ibom as indigenes clash with Hausa/Fulani residents

A clash between Hausa\Fulani residents and some local residents of Itiam Etoi in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has left no fewer than three persons dead and scores injured.


The incident, which happened on Wednesday, saw a Hausa scrap dealer transporting a power generator on wheelbarrow and was accosted around the Udo Udoma area of Itiam Etoi, of the state by some locals.

A heated argument ensued during which the Hausa scrap dealer, who reportedly described the incident as harassment, mobilized his men and launched a reprisal attack.

They were said to have used all manner of weapons in the rift which caused tension in the community.

An eyewitness, Mr. Okon Effiong, told Vanguard: “When the ‘area boys’ stopped the Hausa man, they asked him for settlement. He refused to pay and it led to a fight and a reprisal attack from the Hausa\Fulani settlers in the area.

“They arrived in large numbers with machetes and clubs and started cutting anyone they found on the road. Some of them carried iron rods with which they destroyed properties and chased shop owners away.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Cordelia Nwawe, who confirmed the incident on Thursday, assured that peace had already been restored to the affected community.

According to her, some victims of the fight have been discharged from the hospitals.

Nwawe admitted casualties on both sides, saying police was not in a better position to confirm the casualty figures.

The PPRO said: “We are not the one to confirm the dead. It is the job of the state government or qualified medical professionals. But as far as I know, nobody died from the clash.”

Reacting to the incident, the leader of the Hausa\Fulani community in Uyo, Alhaji Hassan Sadauki, said the incident was a fallout of minor misunderstanding between his men and the suspected ‘area boys’.

He said one of the victims from his side was critically ill from the injury he sustained from the fracas.

While suing for peace, Sadauki said efforts were on to relocate his people from the crisis area for fear of another backlash.

Also, the village Head of Itiam Etoi, Eteidung Effiong Asikpo; the Chairman of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ndueso Ekwere, and the Chairman of Uyo Local Government Area, Mfon Ben, in their separate reactions sued for peace.
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  1. I trust Niger Deltans. Their madness cannot stand in the South South. If they want trouble, they will get it in full dose.

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    1. Try to be just in order to see God. You know the Hausa community there will definitely be more harmed than the host. Should they live there like slaves? If this happens to a southerner in the North, you will call it other names. The Northerners should leave the south as they wanted, lets face the reality and see if the southerners can as well leave the north.

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  2. NigerianEye from ur reports why didn't you come out with a balanced report. Look at some of the quotations from eyewitness which you supposed to study carefully before it should be sent to public domain. Here are:"when the 'area boys'stopped the Hausa man they asked him for settlement. He refused to pay and led to a fight and a reprisal attack from Hausa/fulani settlers in the area ". And i asked what those area boys did to that Hausa boy that warrant represal attack? Pls. Always balance ur reports before you incites general public.

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