No fewer than 11 people have been killed and 52 houses set ablaze in a brutal attack on Akyawa and Udege Kasa communities in the Udege Development Area of Nasarawa State.
Police authorities said the violence, which erupted on Friday, is believed to be a reprisal by suspected hoodlums over the alleged killing of two of their kinsmen.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, disclosed this after the Commissioner of Police, CP Shetima Jauro Mohammed, visited the ravaged communities.
Describing the incident as tragic, the CP commiserated with bereaved families and affected residents, vowing that those behind the killings and destruction would be brought to justice.
He has since ordered a full-scale manhunt for the perpetrators, directing tactical and investigative units to ensure their swift identification, arrest, and prosecution.
To forestall further violence, the Command has reinforced security in the area, deploying additional personnel in collaboration with the military and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Police also convened a stakeholders’ meeting, urging residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and support ongoing investigations with credible intelligence.
Authorities say normalcy has been restored, with proactive measures in place to prevent a recurrence of the bloodshed.
