Christmas Day community clashes leave 6 including a policeman dead in Cross River State

First, we reported with shock, of the case of the communal clash between the Hausa and Gwari tribes in Abuja that took place on Christmas Day that resulted in damage and destruction of properties. A youth tragically was reported to have lost his life in that instance

Regrettably, that was not the only Christmas Day community clashes in Nigeria as the present story reveals.

A policeman and five other persons are also reportedly killed in an inter-communal conflict between the villages of Uyangha and Ojor on Christmas Day in Cross River State, the Vanguard reports.

Report from the area, located 50 kilometres away from Calabar, said trouble had been brewing between the two neighbouring communities for some days. It added that on Christmas Day, youths from the two villages engaged each other in a fight, using guns and machetes, leading to the killing of five persons and a policeman who was on a peace mission.

Ukam Eto, a resident of the area, tells Vanguard: “Youths from the two villages fought early this year and many shops, particularly those of Igbo traders, were razed and since then there has never been complete peace between the two communities.

“The conflict on Christmas Day was a replay of the skirmishes that took place in March this year.”

Many houses and shops were razed down at Uyangha, the village located along the Calabar-Ikom Highway, with many business places and churches set on fire by rampaging Ojor youths.

Ms Irene Ugbo, the Cross River State Police Command spokesman, says more policemen have been deployed to the area and normalcyhas been  restored. According to her, “it is your people who are always fighting while we (the Police) only seek to restore peace.

“But for them to kill a policeman that was sent there on peace keeping is what we do not understand.”