The Niger Police command on Saturday said properties including houses and farmlands worth millions of naira were damaged following communal clash between two communities in the state.
The State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bala Elkana, who made this known while briefing newsmen in Minna, said the warring communities were in Katcha and Mokwa Local Government areas of the state.
Elkana revealed that three persons were injured as the two warring communities were claiming ownership of a forest, believed to be a source of revenue generation in the area.
He stated that the “economic value of the forest” had made it difficult for the leaderships of the affected communities to resolve the problem.
“This is the major reason why this problem has not been resolved by the traditional rulers from both emirates,’’ he said.
According to him, anti-riot policemen have been drafted to the troubled areas to compliment efforts of the regular policemen in maintaining law and order.
Elkana said that the police had brought the situation under control while the two suspects arrested in connection with the incident were in the police custody.
The PPRO urged the people of the two communities to be law abiding and to go about their lawful businesses as normalcy had been restored in the affected areas.
He advised them to report any person or group that might want to cause any form of social unrest to the nearest security agency. (NAN)