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Ten die in ethnic attacks in Nigerian city market

At least 10 people have died during ethnic clashes that began at a busy market in the Nigerian city of Ibadan in Oyo State.

The governor of south-western Oyo State has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew to contain the violence in the city.

It began after a wheelbarrow pusher, believed to be from the ethnic Hausa group, allegedly hit and killed a Yoruba man during an altercation.

The south-west of Nigeria is seen as the home of the Yoruba ethnic group, and Hausa people mainly live in the north of the country.

Witnesses say some Yoruba youths then began retaliatory attacks on Saturday against members of the Hausa community.

The chairman of the Traders’ Union at Shasha Market, where the trouble erupted, told the BBC that they had so far recovered at least 10 bodies.

He said more than 100 others were wounded and dozens of shops and homes had been burnt down.

Police spokesperson in Oyo State, Olugbenga Fadeyi, told the BBC that officers were still gathering casualty details but had intensified patrols in the area.

Amnesty International urged the authorities to investigate the attacks on northerners residing in the Shasha area of Ibadan.

Tension over a long-running row over cattle grazing has generated a lot of anti-northerner sentiment in southern Nigeria.

Fulani herders, who like the Hausa people originate from the north, and their families, walk for hundreds of kilometres to central Nigeria and beyond at least twice a year to find the best grazing land for their cattle.

But this has often led to friction, and in recent years deadly clashes, with local communities, who accuse the cattle of trampling on their crops, and sometimes accuse the herders of robbery and other crimes.

BBC.COM

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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