Violence erupted in Auchi Sacred Kingdom, Edo State, on Saturday after growing anger over repeated kidnapping incidents triggered unrest in parts of the town.

Tensions had been building for days as residents voiced frustration over rising insecurity, with many saying kidnappings have become increasingly frequent in the community.

Speaking to ARISE News anonymously, a member of the Otaru Council in the Auchi Sacred Kingdom described the scale of the crisis facing the community.

“For months now, we have been facing a lot of kidnapping issues. Every day, there must be a report of kidnapping. Once they kidnap, the ransom they ask for is from N100 million. And we cannot take it anymore.”

The unrest followed earlier protests by elderly women in the kingdom who took to major roads and streets, publicly laying curses on those responsible for the kidnappings and anyone believed to be aiding or supporting them.

Confirming the development, the council member said the protests reflected the deep frustration among residents.

“For about a week now, elderly women in our Auchi Kingdom have been coming out to protest. Peaceful protest. That enough is enough. Kidnapping is not needed. We do not want it again in our community.”

Angered by the situation, groups of youths later mobilised across the town on Saturday.

“And today, the youth came out.”

The council member explained that the youths were attempting to identify individuals without fixed residences in the community.

“Any Hausa without residence is asked to leave. We want every Hausa man or woman to have a place to stay in our community, not by hanging around.

“Most of the Hausa boys, at night, you will see them hanging on top of bikes. At night they will sleep until daybreak, until dawn. So we want every Hausa man or woman to have a place to reside in so that if anything happens, we know where to go.”

Amid the tensions, youths stormed the Hausa quarters in Auchi, scattering and burning homes and stores belonging to Hausa residents.

Several shelters and properties were set ablaze during the unrest, forcing many Hausa residents to flee the area for safety.

Security forces were later deployed to restore calm, with the Nigerian Army intervening to prevent the violence from escalating further.

According to the council member, “When the youth came out today to move all the Hausa that were not fully resident in this community, the Hausas went to call soldiers to back them up.”

However, the council member criticised the response of the military during the confrontation.

“They are backing up the Hausa. They are backing them up. They are protecting the Hausas, not the Auchi community.

“Because they are stopping the women and the youth from the action they are taking.”

Despite the criticism, he acknowledged that the military had been active in the area.

However, he added that residents felt the security response had not met their expectations.

“That is why the youth and the women came out en masse because they felt that the army was not doing the best of what is expected of them.”

Historically, Auchi has been known for welcoming people from different parts of the country who come to live and work in the town.

However, some indigenes now argue that this long standing hospitality has been abused over the years.

Residents claim truckloads of Hausa migrants are brought into the community regularly, with many settling in different quarters of the town.

Some locals also claim the population of Hausa settlers is gradually becoming larger than that of the indigenes, further fuelling concerns and tensions within the kingdom. (AriseNews TV, excluding headline)

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