Tension in Ilorin as Yoruba/Hausa clash in Mandate market
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
There was palpable tension on Tuesday at the popular Mandate market in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, following an alleged stabbing of a Yoruba man on the head and mouth by an Hausa man over an argument on sales of sugarcane.
A statement by the spokesman of the Kwara state Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the State Babawale Zaid Afolabi, said it took the timely arrival of the NSCDC operatives and other security personnel to avert what could have resulted in a bloody ethnic clash.
He said: “We got a distress call on Tuesday that there was a clash between Yoruba and Hausa at Mandate market and we quickly mobilized our men to the scene in order to prevent total breakdown of law and other.
“Trouble started when a Yoruba man reportedly bought a sugarcane worth N50 from the Hausa seller but found out that the sugarcane was not sweet. The Yoruba man’s request to change the sugarcane did not go down well with the Hausa man. The latter was accused of stabbing the Yoruba man and this resulted in free for all between the Hausa and Yoruba inside the market.
“In the meantime, the Yoruba man who sustained some minor knife injuries was quickly rushed to the cottage hospital where he is responding to treatment. Meanwhile, there was a large presence of security personnel in the market premises to prevent any form of reprisal or further breakdown of law and order.”
The NSCDC spokesman said the state Commandant, Iskilu Ayinla Makinde, has been briefed about the incident, adding that he has ordered 24 hours surveillance by the Command’s plain-clothed personnel around the market premises and other flash points.