District head, 9 others burnt as Nasarawa ethnic clashes persist

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THE crisis that erupted on the early hours of Wednesday between Eggon and Migili ethnic nationalities in Agyaragu, headquarters of Jenkwe Development Area in Obi local government council of Nasarawa state entered its third day  leaving the District head of Gidan Rail, Zhe Meri dead and was found in ashes when the state Deputy governor, Damishi Luka Barau led state government delegation to assess the level of damage caused by the incident amidst tight security.
Among the people burnt to ashes were two aged visually impaired women who despite their condition could not attract mercy from their attackers while they could not be whisked away by their relations when the militias who were carrying sophisticated weapons over powered them and set the house the victims were hiding ablaze leaving them roasted.
Vanguard gathered that the District head who recently fled his ancestral domain in Gidan Rail in Ekye development area of Doma Local Government Council as a result of the on-going Fulani/Farmers crisis in the area and was taking refuge in Agyaragu finally met his death in the bloody attack.
Paramount ruler of Migili Chiefdom, Dr. Ayuba Agwadu whose palace was completely razed by the attackers had remained hostage in his home town in Musha and was later accompanied by armed Police men to Lafia, the state capital where he is taking refuge.
Our correspondent who was on the entourage of the state deputy governor observed that the attack which seems to have been well planned was targeted mostly at destroying the modern houses belonging to  prominent persons in the community.
State deputy governor who expressed shock at the level of destruction described the incident as barbaric, vowing that government would do everything possible to unravel the circumstances that led to what he further described as unfortunate development.
While appealing to the bereaved families and the displaced persons to remain calm, the deputy governor assured them of government commitment to restore peace in the area.
One of the victims who do not want his name in print told Vanguard that the incident was the second of its kind. He recalled how their Eggon counterpart attacked and destroyed lives and property in 1982 over the naming of a newly established Secondary School.
At the time of the visit gun shots and smoke were being heard around some neighboring communities of the troubled Agyaragu town, however calm was gradually returning to the area as both the Police and Soldiers deployed to restore law and order were seen in strategic places to maintain peace.