Several people have lost their lives after a clash triggered by the fatal stabbing of a cobbler by a cart pusher in Sasha market, Ibadan, Oyo State, degenerated into an ethnic conflict.
The two men had a misunderstanding on Thursday and in the process, the cart pusher, said to be a Hausa man, stabbed the cobbler, said to be a Yoruba man, with a knife.
It could not be independently verified the ethnicity of the two men and there is no evidence that their fight was caused by ethnic issues.
The stabbed victim was confirmed dead in a hospital on Friday morning, leading to crisis in the community between the Hausa and the Yorubas, with the latter group trying to avenge the death of their tribesman.
Within hours, the conflict spread beyond the market, as the Hausa and Yoruba communities in Akinyele Local Government Area, where the market is located, went after each other.
Witnesses told newsmen that, at least, six people died from both sides in the reprisal attacks. Various shops and houses were burnt while the market was deserted in the process.
“The reprisal attacks have led to the death of at least six people from the side of the Yorubas and the Hausas. In fact, many people in the community have scampered for safety,” a resident of Akinyele, who simply identified himself as Khalid, said.
Another witness who did not want his name mentioned told PREMIUM TIMES that “no one is safe. People have been rendered homeless. I know of 15 houses that have been razed and you can’t tell if your home is next. What matters is safety, so people have deserted their homes”.
Random killings
On Saturday morning, some Yoruba thugs blocked various highways, asking passengers to identify their ethnic groups.
