Youth at Nsukka on Saturday pulled down the Central Mosque after a Hausa man stabbed a tricycle operator at Army Barracks junction on Saturday, 30th September, 2020.
The irate youth first pulled down the signpost of the first Mosque before proceeding to pull down another Mosque near Army barracks junction.
Trouble started when there tricycle ‘keke’ operator demanded for N100 from the wife of a Hausa man but the lady refused, insisting that the fare is N50 naira. In the ensuing argument, the husband to the lady arrive the scene and stabbed the tricycle operator severally and eloped with her wife on another motorcycle.
The youth angered by the lifeless body of their member, descended on two mosques, one for daily congregational prayers and the other one which is the central mosque, they destroyed one and burnt down the other.
Igbo Mandate Congress learnt that the doctors at the Bishop Shanaham Hospital later managed to revive the man, later in the day, after a successful surgery.
Mr Sunday Edem, leader of Ozim Edem Vigilante outfit while speaking with the leader of Igbo Mandate Congress in Nsukka, Paschal Igwe, said that they are trying to contain the situation.
Mr Paschal Igwe, leader of Igbo Mandate Congress in Nsukka was detailed by the Director General of the group, Rev Obinna Akukwe to meet with stakeholders to ensure peace but his initial briefing IMC showed that many Hausa within the area has relocated to Obollo Afor for safety while some shops belonging to northerners were burgled in anger.
The Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the Sarki Hausa and the President of Nsukka town union are currently at a peace meeting in the burnt mosque held meeting on Monday 2nd November to further bring peace to the troubled community.
A former governorship aspirant in Ebonyi State, Rev Paschal Gold Nwaigwe who witnessed the violence, while briefing the Director General of Igbo Mandate Congress, Rev Obinna Akukwe said that “presently the Governor is sharing rice and palliatives to the Hausa community to pacify them and we are all at the Central Mosque, and the Hausa people are very happy. The picture that Nsukka people are fighting Hausa is not true”
Igbo Mandate Congress had sued for peace in Nsukkka. The Director General of the Group, Rev Obinna Akukwe had asked both ‘’the irate youth and the Hausa community to resolve the crisis before the IPOB miscreants takes advantage of the situation to unleash mayhem in the town.
He described the incident as unfortunate event capable of disorganizing the peace between the Nsukka indigenes and the Hausa community. He asked the representative of the group in Nsukka to brief him on the current situation”
He also asked the Muslim leaders Nsukka “to guard against frequent use of knives and daggers to settle trivial conflict and asked the irate youth not to take laws into their hands to avoid unnecessary bloodshed and tension in the traditionally peaceful domain” He asked their representative at Nsukka to convey the message to both parties.
