Police arrest nine suspects in Kogi violent communal crisis

The police have arrested nine suspects after a violent conflict left many houses destroyed in Itamah in Kogi State.

The clashes occurred after the assassination of the community’s traditional ruler, Job Shagari.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Bethrand Onuoha, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja on Thursday.

Mr Shagari was assassinated by some gunmen who invaded the community on 9 August.

His death created a rift between two families — the Okenyi Abu-Atika and Shagari-Ebijegor, resulting in the communal crisis.

The police said they were trailing other suspects.

“What the police are calling for now is for peace to be allowed to reign in the Itamah community.

“The destruction done in that community is very unfortunate and uncalled for.

“We want a situation where the aggrieved families should come to a round table for dialogue toward finding a lasting solution.

“A situation where the community members are involved in an eye for an eye, the whole community will be blind and there won’t be peace there at all,” he said.

Mr Onuoha denied an allegation that the police did not respond to petitions after some houses and other property were razed.

Akoh Jonah, spokesman of the Okenyi Abu-Atika, said more than 40 houses were burnt during the crisis, alleging that the police arrested 11 members of his family.

However, Gideon Attah from the Shagari-Ebijegor family also claimed that his family members were also victims of the attacks.

“We are calling on the government and our traditional rulers — the Attah Igala and the Eje of Idaho — to organise a peace meeting among the aggrieved parties to restore peace to the community,” he pleaded. (NAN)