CATTLE dealers in Garriki Cattle Market, Awkunanu- Enugu, yesterday denied media reports that their mosque was burnt down after a dispute in the market resulted in the death of the two people involved in the brawl. The cattle dealers also debunked insinuations that a burnt property in the market was as a result of the dispute, saying that it was caused by harmatan haze for which no individual or group was responsible.
The leaders of the market made the remark yesterday when the state governor, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi visited the area for on-the-spot assessment and interaction with the cattle market community. Speaking on the incident that took place on Wednesday, the Chairman of the market, Alhaji Baba Ali said: “Since 1970, we have been living with the Igbo people here in peace and we have not had any problem. There was an issue that just happened recently by accident but we have settled the problem.
“Any other news they are telling you is mere propaganda. We don’t have problem, we have been together like brothers and sisters since 1970 here in both Amagu and Amaechi. “What happened was that one Hausa/Fulani man stabbed one Igbo boy with a knife.
The Igbo boy died and the Hausa man died too. This caused some tensions which we have settled. Nobody burnt any mosque. We have two mosques here, you can see people praying there, the other one is on the other side.” Also speaking, a former Senior Special Assistant to the Enugu State governor on inter-community matters, Hon. Ahmed Abubakar said: “We‘ve been living peacefully with our host, we live like brothers. If you come here, you see Igbo people speaking Hausa language. This thing that the media is reporting about burning of our mosque is not true.
This is our Friday mosque and you can see people praying there. Addressing the traders Special Adviser on Security matters, to the governor, Gen. Fred Eze (rtd) said “The government is interested in peace of the place and that was why when what happened here happened, security agencies were deployed to contain the situation and immediately the market leaders put heads together, discussed and agree that there should be peace and everywhere is calm that is why the market is operating.