Nine Kids Drown In Nasarawa

Tragedy struck in Nasarawa state, northern Nigeria on Wednesday, 27 August, 2014, when nine kids, between the ages of two and ten, allegedly drown in the Guyaka River of Ughah in Assakio area of Lafia local government council of the state.

According to residents’ reports, the drown kids were fleeing the renewed fighting that broke out between the Fulani and the Eggon tribes of Nasarawa state on Wednesday when they met their death.

Premium Times report quoted Abdullahi Akye Magaji, the paramount ruler of Ugah, as saying that the nine children were among 13 other kids attempting to escape the violence through the river.

Magaji explained that four of the children were rescued while the bodies of the nine others were yet to be recovered.

He said a decision was taken by the community to ferry the children across the river to save them from any eventuality as fighting raged.

Nasarawa State

“We decided to use the boat to ferry the children out of the community after trekking for over 21 kilometre into the night,” Magaji said.

“Unfortunately, the boat capsized and nine out of the 13 children drowned while four were rescued and none of the corpses of the drowned children have been recovered yet.

“I have reported the incidence to the government and equally requested them to help the survivors to Lafia, the state capital.”

The community leader added that about five communities, including the headquarters of his chiefdom, Ugah, had been completely destroyed. The other communities he said were razed are Mankwar, Gallo, Shimeer, Umbwal,Alingani,

He said the people of those communities were now taking refuge in Namu area of Shendam local government area of Plateau state.

Magaji added that the people of Guyaka, the only remaining community that was only partly torched, had also relocated to Lafia, for fear of further attack.

Nasarawa state Police Public Relations Officer ( PPRO ) Umar Numan, when contacted on the matter, said he is not aware of the incident.

It was reported on Wednesday that fighting had broken out between the Fulani and Eggon in the Tudun Adabu area of Obi local government of Nasarawa State.

According to police report, about 20 houses were burnt in Assakio on Tuesday while the resident of the paramount ruler, Osula Inarigu, was vandalised.

“The state has again been engulfed in security challenges in the past seventy two hours, which has led to some fatalities, and at the same time, displaced some persons,” a police source told newsmen.

Nasarawa State is bounded in the north by Kaduna State, in the west by the Abuja Federal Capital Territory, in the south by Kogi and Benue States and in the east by Taraba and Plateau States.