Two persons were killed during a bloody clash between some Igbo and Fulani men at Gariki Market, Enugu.

The deceased persons were identified as one Ali, a Fulani male and Ifeanyi Ifeacho, an Igboman.

Our correspondent, who visited Gariki Market on Thursday, gathered that the incident happened very late in the evening on Wednesday.

According to an eye-witness, trouble started brewing in the market when Ali came from New Artisan Market with a cow to slaughter in the Gariki abattoir.

Ali came to Gariki abattoir where Ifeanyi worked as an attendant to slaughter his cow, following the closure of New Artisan Market by the State Government early this week.

According to an eye-witness, when Ali finished slaughtering his cow, he gave Ifeanyi N400 instead of the N500 fee for slaughtering a cow in the abattoir.

Ifeanyi was said to have asked Ali to give him the remaining N100 but the Fulani man remained adamant, insisting that he would not pay any other money.

The misunderstanding degenerated to a fight between the two.

In the ensuing melee, Ali pulled out a dagger and stabbed Ifeanyi severally on the stomach.

Ifeanyi slumped on the ground and died immediately on the spot.

Ali was said to have attempted to escape from the market but some outraged Igbo traders in the market grabbed him and mobbed him to death.

The angry Igbo traders mobilised and burnt down the Mosque inside Gariki Market.

Normalcy has, however, returned to the market, following the deployment of anti-riot policemen to the market and environs.

Ebere Amaraizu, the spokesman for Enugu State Police Command, confirmed the report in an interview with our correspondent.

Amaraizu, a Superintendent of Police, said the command deployed anti-riot policemen to Gariki Market immediately to stop the situation from escalating.

“Two persons were confirmed dead yesterday in the course of a clash between an Easterner and a Northerner over an alleged misunderstanding that arose between them in the evening at Gariki Awkunanaw Market.

“Security is beefed up in the area by Enugu State Commissioner of Police, CP Douglas Agbonleni to avoid escalation and breakdown of law and order, just as a full scale investigation has commenced into the incident” Amaraizu said.

Meanwhile, peace talk is going on between the Igbo and Hausa-Fulani traders in the market as at the time this report was filed yesterday. (Independent)

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