Eleven people were killed and 52 houses burned in a reprisal attack on Friday in Akyawa and Udege Kasa communities, Nasarawa Local Government Area. The Nasarawa State Police Command confirmed the incident through its spokesperson, SP Ramhan Nansel, in a statement issued Saturday in Lafia. The attack followed the alleged killing of two men from the same community, which triggered the violent retaliation by suspected hoodlums. Nansel said Commissioner of Police Shetima Mohammed led a team to the scene to assess the damage and oversee efforts to restore order.
Mohammed expressed sorrow over the deaths and promised justice, directing tactical and investigative units to identify, arrest, and prosecute those responsible. Police have launched an intensive manhunt and reinforced security in the area with personnel from the military and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Nansel added that a stakeholders' meeting was held during the visit, where the commissioner urged residents to remain calm and provide information to aid investigations. He stated that normalcy had been restored and that measures were in place to prevent further violence.
A police-led response after 11 are dead and dozens displaced suggests failure, not readiness. Shetima Mohammed's on-the-spot visit and promises of justice come too late for the families in Akyawa and Udege Kasa who lived through the violence without prior protection. If the police were already aware of tensions following the earlier killings, their inability to prevent this attack raises serious questions about operational effectiveness. For residents, the assurance of arrests may offer little comfort if prevention remains an afterthought.
