Eight persons have been reportedly killed in a communal clash between Karimjo and Wurkum ethnic groups in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba state.
Several houses were also said to have been burnt during the clash.
According to reports spokesman of the state police command, Abdullahi Usman, confirmed the incident on Monday.
He said the clash between the two tribes started after the chief of Wurkum community died and his son was installed as the new traditional ruler.
The clash reportedly occurred during the coronation of the new chief of Karim Lamido community.
According to the police spokesman, the new monarch from the Wurkum tribe was selected by the state governor, Darius Ishaku, alongside other traditional title holders to rule the community.
He said the Karimjo ethnic group started to protest the installation of a new ruler from the Wurkum tribe, insisting that they deserved the stool.
“From the police records, we have gone there, we saw things ourselves, the corpses that we recovered were eight. Eight persons were killed officially. The clash started on Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” the Usman said.
The police spokesman explained; “What happened is that the chief of Karim Lamido happened to die, that is the Garkuwa died from the Warkum extraction. When he died, the government of Taraba state had thrown in his son who was given the chief of Karim.
“After he was installed, he was going to Karim to celebrate, people were coming for homage, then the Karimjos started blocking the roads and attacking the people saying they are seriously against the chieftaincy and that the government was supposed to have given the title to the Karimjo because the area where the chief’s house is located is within Karimjo area.
“They are calling on the Wurkum to remove that chief house from their area and relocate it to another village. That was where the issue started from and they went ahead and started burning the houses of the Wurkums which later led to a reprisal. So, that was how the clash started.”
