Tiv settlers, indigenes clash over ‘broken bottle’ at beer joint in Gwagwalada

Violence erupted between Tiv and some youths who claimed are indegenes in a Tiv settlement at Gwagwalada in FCT on Monday. 

Gwagwalada is one of the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory. 

An eye witness and the spokesperson for the Anguwan  Tiv community, Mrs. Erdoo Bwa narrated that someone identified as Julius drank beer but mistakenly broke the bottle as he was about to leave the beer joint.

She said that the beer parlour owner insisted that the man must pay for the bottle but Julius who is already heavily drunk refused and there was heated argument that resulted in a fight which attracted three policemen who were on patrol.

Bwa further explained that the unidentified policemen tried to intervene to make peace but the crowd which gathered descended on one of the policemen and tried to disarm him and in the process, a bullet from the cop’s gun discharged, hitting Julius, the man who broke the bottle at the beer parlour.

Erdoo Bwa said youth later mobilised and vandalised the settlement and injuring people and carting away electronic items belonging to the settlers such as refrigerators, television sets, phones, mattresses and large sums of money.

It was learnt that residents of Anguwan-Tiv are now living in fear as the attackers had threatened to return to finish the job they started.  

According to the spokesperson, the youth issued the threat when policemen were sent to quell the riot, arrested some of the rioters but released them later.

The  Area Commander in charge of Gwagwalada Police command,  Dr. Sunday Okoebor claimed that  he was not aware of the invasion of Anguwan-Tiv settlement  by youth when contacted.