At least two people have been reported dead after ethnic clashes in the third avenue area of the Gwarinpa Estate, Abuja on Monday.
THE WHISTLER gathered that the crisis started on Saturday evening in one of Gwarinpa’s shanties occupied majorly by the Gbagyi natives.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to THE WHISTLER disclosed that the clashes followed the alleged discovery that a native was an informant, revealing information of alleged illicit drug activities to security operatives.
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Upon discovery, members of the affected groups were said to have attacked the informant, thereby escalating the situation.
THE WHISTLER gathered that in a reprisal attack, the groups had resorted to the use of various forms of weapon while residents and traders in the area scampered for safety.
Some traders were critically battered and injured in their shops.
One of them was Emmanuel Joseph, who said, “I was just on my own when some of the boys came to my shop and started saying, I am one of them.”
Joseph was receiving treatment at the Federal Road Safety Corp Medical Centre, Gwarinpa when he spoke to our correspondent.
So far, medical practitioners at the FRSC said at least two people have died from the incidents while others in critical situations were referred to the National Hospital.
The hospital said it recorded three mild and moderate laceration cases who were subsequently stabilised, sutured and discharged.
The doctor on duty also confirmed to THE WHISTLER that it recorded two gunshot victims, one partially, and the other critically burnt.
Normalcy has, however, been restored to the area following the heavy presence of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Joint Task Force (JTF) of security operatives including Police, Military, DSS, NSCDC and Guard Brigade.
At the moment, the JTF is patrolling the Gwarinpa estate, specifically, areas suspected to have shanty structures to ensure full normalcy is restored.