’15 killed’ in Gombe communal clash

Fifteen persons have been reportedly killed in a clash involving two communities in Gombe state.

The clash was said to have happened between Nyuwar and Jessu communities in Balanga LGA of the state.

The attacks are said to have started on Monday, and continued till Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Inuwa Yahaya, governor of Gombe, visited the affected communities to assess the level of damage in the areas.

Speaking with journalists after visiting the communities, Yahaya condemned the incident, adding that he has declared curfew in the affected communities to restore peace.

The Gombe governor noted that the perpetrators of the violence would be brought to face the full wrath of the law, and appealed to residents against reprisal.

He directed security agencies to ensure that further attacks on the affected communities are prevented, while assuring victims of the provision of relief materials.

“In Nyuwar, I was told that eight persons died, and here (Hemen village) in Jessu community, seven persons were also said to have died, making the total deaths 15. This is unacceptable,” the governor was quoted by NAN to have said.

On his part, Yohanna Galmaka, Wakilin of Nyuwar, appealed to the governor to protect the people against further attacks, adding that many of them had relocated to other communities.

He noted that the clash started around 9pm on Monday, and continued till Tuesday.

According to NAN, as of Tuesday, houses were still on fire, while some women and children were seen relocating to Cham, a neighbouring community.