At least 11 persons had been killed and more than 50 houses razed down in a communal clash on Friday in Akyawa and Udege Kasa communities of Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The state police spokesperson, SP Ramhan Nansel, the revealed this on Saturday in Lafia.
He said suspected hoodlums carried out a reprisal attack over the alleged killing of two of their kinsmen.
“In the course of the attack, 11 people were killed, while about 52 houses were burnt in the two communities,” he said.
Nansel said the state Police Commissioner, Shetima Mohammed, had undertaken an on-the-spot assessment to the affected communities to ascertain the level of destruction and ensure that normalcy was restored.
He said the CP has ordered an intensive manhunt for the perpetrators of the heinous act and directed investigations to ensure prompt identification, arrest, and prosecution of the perpetrators of the deadly crime.
“To prevent any further breakdown of law and order, the Commissioner of Police has also directed the immediate deployment of Police personnel to the affected areas,” he said.
He said the police were working in collaboration with the Military and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to provide adequate security and restore lasting peace in the area.
The police spokesperson further said a stakeholders’ meeting was held during the visit, where the CP urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information to support ongoing investigations.
He, therefore, reassured members of the public that normalcy had been restored to the affected communities, while proactive measures had been taken to prevent any recurrence of violence.
