Scores of people have been reported killed in a communal clash between two farming communities of Lafiya and Mamsirmi in Adamawa State.
The crises, which erupted on Tuesday last week between the communities in Lamurde Local Government Area, has spread to Boshikiri, a neighbouring community in Guyuk (LGA) of the state.
Eyewitnesses confirmed the killing.
Some of the locals were worried about reprisal despite what they had lost to the crisis, as scores of people had fled the community.
Police on patrol
Women and children in the community have been evacuated to safer places while those seen are men and youths, as well as police personnel deployed to prevent further escalation of the conflict.
Meanwhile, officials of the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) have evacuated some injured victims to the hospital.
The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Aminu Suleiman, said that the state government has made provision for relief materials to be distributed to the victims.
Policemen patrol deserted streets
On her part, a humanitarian worker with the Red Cross, Paulina Isa, said those who escaped the clash were taking refuge in the community town hall in Lamurde, the administrative headquarters of the local government.
Paulina lamented that the displaced persons were sleeping on the bare floor, adding that they were being exposed to diseases and hunger.
The State Police Command, through its spokesperson, Mr Abubakar Othman, also had confirmed the incident but doubted the casualty figure.
Residents flee homes
Othman said that the police have not gotten the report of anyone killed in the conflict.
He added that houses were burnt and four other persons were missing.
The Command spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police had deployed personnel to bring the situation under control and restore normalcy to the communities.
He had also appealed to the warring parties to sheath their swords and live in harmony with one another, saying measures were being put in place to prevent a re-occurrence of such incident.
PM NEWS
