By Ejire Folakunmi

The Nigeria Police Force in Nasarawa State has confirmed the death of 11 persons and the destruction of more than 50 houses following a communal crisis in Akyawa and Udege Kasa communities of Nasarawa Local Government Area.

The Command’s spokesperson, Ramhan Nansel, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Lafia.

He said the incident occurred on Friday morning when suspected hoodlums carried out a reprisal attack over the alleged killing of two of their kinsmen.

“In the course of the attack, 11 people were killed, while about 52 houses were burnt in the two communities,” he said.

Nansel stated that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Shetima Mohammed, led a team on an on-the-spot assessment visit to the affected communities to evaluate the level of destruction and ensure the restoration of normalcy.

According to him, the CP expressed deep sorrow over the incident and commiserated with the families of the victims and the affected communities, assuring them of the Command’s commitment to ensuring justice.

He added that the CP had ordered an intensive manhunt for those responsible and directed tactical teams and investigative units to ensure their prompt identification, arrest, and prosecution.

“To prevent any further breakdown of law and order, the Commissioner of Police has also directed the immediate reinforcement and sustained deployment of police personnel to the affected areas,” he said.

Nansel further explained that the police are working in collaboration with the military and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to provide adequate security and restore lasting peace.

He also noted that a stakeholders’ meeting was held during the visit, where the CP urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding, and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information to support ongoing investigations.

The police spokesperson reassured the public that normalcy has been restored in the affected communities, adding that proactive measures have been put in place to prevent a recurrence of the violence.