By Marcus Ikechukwu
There was pandemonium at the popular New Benin market in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State on Saturday, following a clash between Hausa and Igbo traders on Saturday.
Although the situation was brought under control, it took the quick intervention of combined security personnel to quell the crisis.
Trouble started after one of the Hausa traders allegedly attacked an Igbo trader with a machete over a little disagreement thereby inflicting serious injury on his forehead.
Eyewitnesses said this led to free for all between the Igbo traders and the Hausa community within the market.
Armed security personnel including, soldiers, Department of State Security Service (DSS), police, and members of Edo State Vigilante Network were immediately drafted in to take over the market to quell the unrest.
The spokesman of the Nigeria Police Command in Edo State, Chidi Nwabuzor, in a statement, said the situation has been brought under control.
“The Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that its aware of the incident that occurred today being Saturday, 11th June 2022 where a young man whose name and address are unknown but profiled to be a mad man used cutlass to inflict bodily injuries on one Mr. Anthony Jibunor ‘M’ of No. 116 Mission Road, Benin City, Edo State,” the statement reads.
“Immediately, the command received the distress call, Command Tactical Teams, Patrol Teams from various Police Divisional Headquarters and their various Divisional Police Officers in and around New Benin Police Divisional Headquarters were dispatched to the scene to bring down something seemly to the riotous situation to normal and for protection of lives and property.
“The contingent of policemen that were dispatched to the scene met the assailant who was already in the hands of the angry mob that beat the hell out of him and the victim who the assailant brutally cut with a cutlass.
“The assailant and his victim were rescued from the angry mob and both of them were taken to undisclosed hospitals (for security reasons) for medical treatment.
“The good news so far is that both the victim and the assailant are in good stable medical condition.”
