Several people have reportedly been killed and houses burnt following a clash between rival youths in the Mikang Local Government Area of Plateau State.
It was learnt that many people were also injured during the clash said to have started on Saturday night between Taroh and Motola youths in the locality and lasted until the early hours of Sunday.
The state Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, confirmed the development to newsmen in Jos on Sunday.
The commissioner, who blamed the ugly situation on disputed land in the area, said, “I have just called the Mikang Local Government Chairman over the issue who told me that it is something that could have been avoided and not allowed to escalate to the point that people lost their lives; and at the moment, there are persons receiving treatment at the hospital.
“It started as a result of a dispute over land. According to the LG chairman, the land in question cannot even produce six bags of rice, and you know when people are attached to their land, they can go the extra mile, and it is something they could have controlled their nerves, but somehow, it got to a point where others too joined them and houses were burnt down, and people were maimed.
“But as it is, the affected areas have gotten relative peace because the Divisional Police Officers in Mikang, Lantang North, and LGAs have come together to address the problem. So, the LG chairman has been on the matter since 8am today (Sunday) to pacify the people and to make them see the need to embrace peace.”