Ethnic Tensions Flare in Abraka After Police Kill Four Suspected Kidnappers
ABRAKA: Fresh violence broke out in Abraka on Wednesday after a deadly police operation targeting suspected kidnappers left four men dead, triggering reprisal attacks and growing fears of ethnic conflict.
The incident occurred in the Makati Bichi area, near the Abraka railway station. According to local residents, a joint security team including police officers, local hunters, and anti-cult volunteers launched an early morning rescue mission following reports of kidnapping in the area.
They encountered armed herdsmen believed to be kidnappers, one resident told Reporters. A gunfight broke out, and some of the suspects were killed. They were even found with ransom money.
Following the operation, unrest erupted as some northern residents reportedly attacked local farmers, killing two men in retaliation.
They believed the dead suspects were innocent and responded violently, said another witness.
Sources said the victims killed during the initial operation were identified as Hausa, inflaming ethnic tensions.
Two police officers were reportedly also killed during the confrontation, though this remains unconfirmed by authorities.
Residents told Reporters that mobs later began attacking Hausa individuals in the area, with threats to burn down the Hausa Quarters in Abraka.
A student in Abraka said the situation was worsened by recent protests by university students against the surge in kidnappings.
Students protested the growing insecurity. That protest might have led to the crackdown that killed the kidnappers. But now the response from the Hausa community is violent people are walking around with machetes and knives.
Graphic footage obtained by reporters shows chaos across the town: bloodied streets, panicked residents, and buildings in Hausa-dominated neighborhoods under siege.
In a statement, the Delta State Police Command confirmed the joint operation and said it resulted in the recovery of an AK-47 rifle and 13 rounds of live ammunition.
“The operation, based on credible intelligence, was carried out around 3 a.m. along the Abraka Railway axis, said Police PRO SP Edafe Bright.
Four suspected kidnappers were shot and later confirmed dead. One was identified by a rescued victim as the gang leader.
The situation remains tense, with calls for calm and fears of escalating ethnic violence in the days ahead.
