Taraba State Police Command has confirmed that 16 people were killed in a chieftaincy tussle between Karimjo and Wurkum ethnic groups in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area of the state.
Spokeperson of the command, SP Usman Abdullahi, confirmed to Daily Trust on Tuesday that 16 fatalities were recorded, adding that normalcy had returned to the area.
He said the state police commissioner was in Karim-Lamido town to assess the situation.
Violence erupted in Karim-Lamido town headquarters of Karim-Lamido LGA when the new chief of Wurkum chiefdom who was presented with staff of office by Governor Darius Ishaku five days ago entered the town with his entourage.
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Karimjo ethnic group who claimed owership of Karim-Lamido town protested against the installation of the new chief who is a Wurkum man.
The protest turned bloody leading to killings of several peoples and burning of hundreds of houses, farm produce and other property worth millions of naira.
Similarly thousands of people including women and children fled the area and are now taking refuge in Lau, Jalingo, Jen and Bambur towns.
