Violence Between Indigenes of Rivers and Hausas Causes 2 Lives, Mosque and Church

A major violence erupt between Hausas residing in Rivers and Onne indigenes in Eleme local government area of the state has ended two people lives, Mosque and Church was also burnt. reports gathered indicated that several people also sustained injury while a church and a mosque were allegedly destroyed.

The Punch reports that members of a local government task force had gone to Opaku Park in Onne mostly inhabited by the Hausa community and asked the traders to pay their daily levies.

According to the report, it all started when one of the Hausa traders refused to  pay the daily levy. A member of the task force was said to have been killed instantly during the argument that ensued between them.

NAIJ.com learnt that angered by the death of the community member, some indigenes were said to have joined in the fight allegedly leading to the razing of a mosque and the death of one of the Hausa traders.

The Hausas quickly retaliated by destroying a church and its property. Giving a detailed version of what led to the clash, Ledisi Menegbo, said the incident happened  on the 18th of June which was late Sunday, while a three-day revival program was ongoing in one of the newly established branches of The Apostolic Church Okpako, situated along Onne FOT road Rivers state.

“They destroyed the church building, cars parked outside the church, made away with valuable church properties, chairs, speakers and other sound equipment, money among others. 

“They left many wounded with varying degrees of machete and knife cuts, they walked on new born babies like normal floors, mothers were left in tears as they were separated from their babies, they killed one guy who was resisting them, some children's whereabouts yet to be known as I speak, they pushed down one of the buildings people ran in for refuge and the wall fell on people leaving many badly injured,” he alleged.

He said one of the hoodlums was caught and handed over to the police, but alleged that no serious action was taken. He also claimed that the hoodlums promised to come back to finish the work they started. The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force in the state, Mr Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident, but said it was a clash between Hausa traders and some members of a task force in Onne.

He also confirmed that a mosque and a church were razed during the violence, but that peace had returned to the community.