3 die in scavengers, Abuja residents clash
By Innocent Raphael
Byazhin community in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was thrown into chaos as a violent clash between local scavengers, known as baban bola, and residents resulted in the deaths of three people, including two women and a young boy.
The incident began when a baban bola attempted to steal a pot of soup from a woman in the community. The woman raised an alarm, attracting the attention of neighbors and passers-by who overpowered and beat the thief.
Reportedly enraged, the scavenger left but later returned with a group of hoodlums armed with machetes, clubs, and stones. The group launched a brutal attack around 8 pm, randomly assaulting residents.
Tragically, the woman whose soup was the initial target was killed in the attack, while a second woman and a young boy, who were passers-by caught in the violence, also lost their lives.
However, the identities of these two victims have not yet been confirmed.
Jessica Adam, an eyewitness, recounted the ordeal: “They killed two people yesterday. The community has been in chaos since yesterday. The crisis continued till this morning when they killed somebody again. So far, three persons have been killed and many injured. The Police intervened and restored normalcy, but no arrest was made. The Police have intensified their patrol in the Byazhin area of Kubwa to prevent them from regrouping.”
Another resident, speaking anonymously, confirmed the fatalities and described the area where the incident occurred as particularly dangerous.
“Yes, the riot started yesterday. And by this morning, we learnt that three persons have been killed. It happened in Byazhin around that Millionaire’s Quarters, behind that Living Faith Church. That place is usually dangerous, because it is quite lonely, and you cannot pass through there alone, especially in the evening,” he said.
In the aftermath of the violence, schools and shops in the area have closed. Parents rushed to retrieve their children from schools, and businesses remained shut on Wednesday morning.
Attempts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer of the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, for comments were unsuccessful as her phone remained unreachable, at the time of filing this report.
