Fulani, Gwari Clash In Abuja: Two Die, Thousands Displaced

With less than 48 hours to another year, a communal clash has erupted in Gwako, under Gwagwalada Local Government Area of the Federal Capital Territory.

The spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency, Yushau Shuaib, who stated this on Sunday, said the clash drew the attention of the agency and the Ministry of the Capital Territory to jointly activate their Search and Rescue teams.

The prompt intervention of the two agencies including security personnel from the police, civil defence corps and military had helped to curtail the escalation of the crisis which started Saturday as a result of encroachment of herds of cattle into farmlands in the area.

NEMA Director General, Muhammad Sani-Sidi, who commended the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Muhammad, for the promptness of his agencies and his physical presence at scenes, appealed to the warring parties to live peacefully with one another and eschew any form of violent as we enter the New Year.

Sani-Sidi who disclosed that two lives were lost and 27 communities affected, said that over 1500 internally displaced people are currently squatting in a temporary camp on the permanent campus of the University of Abuja in Gwagwalada area.

The minister, who led other government agencies to assess the impact of the incident appealed to the communities to remain calm as the government would ensure that the causes of the crisis would soon be addressed so that they could return to their homes.

The minister had asked NEMA to provide more amenities to the victim in the camp as he also constituted an emergency team for conflict resolution and relief distribution to the affected communities which had membership from response agencies and Urban Affairs Department of FCTA.