Nasarawa Ethnic SAGA, 25 feared killed, houses burnt in Ombatse/Alago

AT least 25 persons were fear killed, while many houses were burnt in a renewed fracas between outlawed Ombatse militiamen and Alago people in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Informed top police source told Saturday Tribune that the incident, which started on Thursday around 8.00 p.m. at Angwan village, had thrown the whole community and neighbouring villages into pandemonium, as inhabitants of the villages were said to have been relocating.

Witnesses told Saturday Tribune that the hostility was a fallout of two Eggon militiamen who were arrested by Joint Task Force (JTF) on that fateful night with arms, while strategising on how to wreak havoc in the area.

It was gathered further that when the JTF was trying to take the suspects to the Police Headquarters in Lafia, the Ombatse militiamen mobilised and blocked the ever-busy Obi-Lafia road, which prevented the policemen from taking the suspects to the police command on Thursday night.

It was gathered further that the JTF returned the suspects to Obi Divisional Police Office  till the following morning (Friday).

Following this development, Saturday Tribune learnt that some Alago youths then mobilised and set the five buses conveying Ombatse militia boys to the area ablaze.

An eyewitness told Saturday Tribune that the incident infuriated Ombatse militiamen who engaged Alago in free-for–all, in which 25 persons from both sides reportedly killed, while many houses were said to have been razed.  - Tribune

Leadership News ---

On Friday, 13th September, 2013, terror was unleashed once again in a renewed communal clash in Nasarawa state. Militia believed to be members of the mystified Ombatse group attacked the people of Alago communities of Adabu, Obi, in Obi local government, and Assakio in Lafia local government, killing, maiming and burning down houses over the arrest of two of their members who were armed and on their way for an undisclosed operation in Awe local government. Survivors who were lucky to escape shared their story with, DONATUS NADI, Lafia writes

It was easier for those who had relatives and friends to cross the border into Plateau state. For some, it was two days in the sun and rain as they trudged through the bush to safety with their families, some numbering 10 or more with little children, the aged and the few things they could salvage as the Ombatse advanced.

The worst hit was Assakio which was yet to recover from the attack of June, 2012 visited on it by the same militant group after a disagreement over the payment of land rent as was customary in the area.

Findings revealed that the attack, which started at 7am penultimate Friday, continued, unabated through Sunday with the Ombatse militia taking their time to reduce the town to rubble. Some of the victims of the assault who were able to escape to safety across the borders of neighboring Plateau state recount that Hilux vans were seen conveying jerry cans of gasoline and other combustibles to the area which were used to set homes and business premises ablaze.

A victim, a headmaster in one of the primary schools in the area who preferred anonymity said, “I ran with the short knickers I was wearing and crossed over to Plateau State for safety with my family. We saw vans delivering gasoline to the militia and in addition, they sawed any trees in front of our houses which were made to fall on our houses to completely destroy them”.