The police have confirmed that at least one person died and 11 houses burnt in a communal clash in Taraba State, north-eastern Nigeria.
Survivors , however, say at least 7 people died.
The communal clash was between the Mummuye and the Fulani communities of Lushi, Sakuwa, Hore Ladde and Garin Dogo areas of Lau Local Government Area.
Hundreds of residents have since abandoned their homes to nearby villages due to the crisis which started early on Friday.
Fleeing residents say the clash was caused by a dispute over a water stream by the two communities.
“Some Mummuye youth from our village took us by surprise and attacked us,” Florence Danladi, a resident of the area said.
“This surprising attack and killing was the major cause of these killings and destruction of property that is presently going on.”
A local chief who does not want to be named said, “It simply began with a simple issue of water stream, and later snowballed to exchange of blows, destruction of houses in some hamlets.
“And for now, the entire Lushi and Garin Dogo villages were raised down.”
