There was pandemonium at the Bodija Market in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State on Friday when two people, including an elderly woman were allegedly killed while two others sustained gunshot injuries from stray bullets when some members of the Hausa community clashed with men of the Nigeria Police.

It was a scene of horror when Saturday Tribune got to the market, as it was almost wholly deserted. Some wares belonging to the traders were seen littered in front of their stalls and on the road.

Saturday Tribune learnt that the Bodija Market Police Division was partially burnt and several other shops set ablaze by the aggrieved Hausas while trying to avenge the death of one of them at the hands of policemen attached to the station.

As a result, commercial activities in the market, which is known as one the biggest foodstuffs markets in the South West, was paralyzed, as traders abandoned their wares and ran for safety.

The state commissioner of Police, Tambuwa Yabo Muhammed, who confirmed the incident, said one person was killed while six suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident.

The police boss, who also confirmed that the police station was partially burnt, said that he was not aware if anybody was hit by gunshots.

It was gathered that on Thursday night, two Hausa men had clashed over a woman during which one of them was allegedly matcheted.

The suspect was said to have run away but on Thursday morning when he was arrested, he was beaten up and taken to the police station naked.

At the police station, the Hausa men, who arrested the suspect, turned up at the station, armed with charms and other dangerous weapons.

According to the police boss, the policemen on duty were said to have turned down their request to kill the suspect and suggested that the suspect be left for interrogation.

He said that it was at that point that one of the Hausa men brought out his sword and hit one of the policemen in the hand.
The second policeman on duty, on self defence was said to have shot and killed one of them.

This action was said to have drawn the ire of members of the Hausa community in the area, as they attacked the policemen and partially burnt the police station and some of the shops around it.

The policemen were said to have called for reinforcement, as the state Commissioner of Police led other policemen to the scene of the incident.

The joint security patrol of the state government, the regular and mobile policemen were on duty to ensure security of lives and property.

Their arrival witnessed shooting sporadically into the air and firing of tear gas to scare the rioters away. There were also the presence of four Armoured Personnel Carriers stationed at strategic locations in the market.

There was confusion as people, including the traders and buyers started running up and down for safety.

The traders hurriedly packed their wares, locked up their shops and ran for safety. The commercial motorcycle operators popularly called okada equally had their business paralysed, while artisans were also forced to abandon their shops.

While confirming the incident to journalists at the affected police station, the Chairman, Police Community Relations Officer, Mr John Onome, stated that the irate mob had stormed the police station demanding for the head of the culprit a request which the police refused.

He said further that the cause of the imbroglio was that the policemen fired some shots sporadically into the air to disperse the mob which unfortunately hit one of them resulting in instant death.  This infuriated the mob who retreated to reinforce and later launch a vicious attack on the station, settling it ablaze. A police man was also said to have been stabbed by the mob.

He also criticised the state fire service for their slow response that saw them doing too little too late to save the situation.

As of the time of filing this report, shops were still under lock and key, as traders were not sure if commercial activities would still take place, just as most of them were said to have stayed away for fear of being arrested by the police.

The police boss told Saturday Tribune, in a telephone interview, that six people have been arrested, including the man who allegedly set the police station ablaze and one of the men who brought the suspect to the station before the crisis started.

The incident extended to other areas of the city like Farayola, Omolola and Agbowo as people, including the traders were seen running helter.

Meanwhile, PANDEMONIUM ocured in the early hours of Friday when the Joint Task Force (JTF) stormed the hideout of terrorists at Ungwar Uku general area of Taurani Local Government area of Kano State and in the ensuing gunfight between the gunmen and the JTF, four members of terrorist group were killed.

According to a source, who revealed this to Saturday Tribune but preferred anonymity, the incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Friday when they were fast asleep.

“I live around the area where the JTF raided. In fact we were arrested but after interogation  we were relased when it was discovered that we are not members of the sect,” he said.

However, in a statement signed by the JTF spokesman, Lt. Ikedichi Iwehia, a copy of which was made available on Friday to Saturday Tribune, the JTF said, “In keeping with the tradition of the JTF and its commitment to keeping the good people of Kano State abreast with the current fight against terrorists and criminal elements, the JTF deems it fit to intimate you with its latest operation.

“Following extensive intelligence build up as a result of the information supplied by the good people of Kano State , a combined team of JTF and SSS operatives conducted a dawn operation at Ungwar Uku general area of Taurani Local Government Area of Kano State . The hideout was suspected to be the media centre of the terrorist elements operating in Kano.”

He said during the encounter, four members of the terrorist group were killed, while  items recovered from the hideout included 1pistol, several rounds of assorted ammunition, 12 Laptops, 2 scanners, I printer, over 1000 copies of CDs, assorted quantities of internet cables/accessories.

Others items recovered from the sect, according to JTF were improvised explosive devices-making materials and four civil police identity cards as well as uniforms of security agencies being used by the terrorist gangs.

His words: “Gentlemen of the press, the JTF is grateful to members of the public for providing it with useful information.

Consequently, the JTF urges the general public to continue to provide it with useful information as the JTF assures them of the utmost confidentiality.

“The JTF will continue to count on the support of the general public as well as their cooperation in the discharge of its activities.”
The JTF spokesman then said members of the public are continually called upon to continue to remain vigilant, report suspicious movements of persons to the Police and other security agencies.

Lt. Iwehia said this  would go a long way to frustrate the plans of the terrorist groups who were bent on sabotaging the peace of the community and the economy of the state.