Tiv community in distress as youths vandalise settlement in Gwagwalada

A fracas between a Tiv beer parlour attendant and an indigene in Gwagwalada, one of the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has degenerated into violence, destruction of houses within Anguwan-Tiv settlement and threats of eviction on the settlers.

Narrating what caused the problem, a spokesperson for the community, Mrs. Erdoo Bwa told Blueprint,  Monday that someone identified as Julius drank beer but mistakenly broke the bottle as he was about to leave the drinking joint.

Bwa stated that the beer parlour owner insisted that the man must pay for the bottle but the culprit refused and the ensuring argument resulted in a fight which attracted three policemen who were on patrol.

She said further that the unidentified policemen tried to intervene to make peace but the crowd which gathered descended on one of the policemen and tried to disarm him and in the process, a bullet from the cop’s gun discharged, hitting Julius, the man who broke the bottle at the beer parlour.

Erdoo Bwa said youth later mobilised and vandalised the settlement and injuring people and carting away electronic items belonging to the settlers such as refrigerators, television sets, phones, mattresses and large sums of money.

It was learnt that residents of Anguwan-Tiv are now living in fear as the attackers had threatened to return to finish the job they started.  

According to the spokesperson, the youth issued the threat when policemen were sent to quell the riot, arrested some of the rioters but released them later.

When contacted, the Area Commander of the Gwagwalada Police command,  Dr. Sunday Okoebor said he was not aware of the invasion of Anguwan-Tiv settlement  by youth but promised to investigate and bring the issue under control.

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