Five killed in Taraba religious crisis

Another orgy of religious violence  was on Saturday recorded  in Wukari, Taraba state with at  least five persons killed, many others injured and property destroyed.

Wukari shares boundary with Benue and Narasawa in the north-eastern part of the country.

Police said they were making efforts to prevent a spill of the crisis to the neighbouring local government areas and states.

The sectarian crisis followed an argument between two football players during a morning training session in the pitch.

Eye-witnesses said an aggrieved Muslim player allegedly gunned down a Christian teammate following the squabble. This triggered retaliatory attacks that led to the death of four persons.

Our source said: “they disagreed over a football related issue during play. One of them felt too aggrieved that he dashed home and brought out a gun and shot his co-argumentator dead”.

Yesterday’s violence is coming barely three months when another clash between Muslims and Christians in Ibi local government area of the state left over 10 people dead, with churches, mosques, commercial and residential buildings torched.

Police Spokesman Amos Olaoye confirmed the crisis, saying heavily armed policemen were drafted to the crisis zone to maintain law and order.

A member of the Taraba State House of Assembly from Wukari, Mr. Daniel Ishaya Gani also confirmed the crisis to newsmen, describing it as “very unfortunate”.