The crisis in Ekiti State continued on Friday as the popular Oja’ba Market in the heart of the capital, Ado-Ekiti was set ablaze.
This came just days after a scuffle between some commercial drivers and some traders of northern extraction which led the state government to declare a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
Although perpetrators of the arson are yet to be uncovered, several residents are suspicious of the Northern traders, who might have done it to avenge their losses.
Vanguard reports that at least 50 shops, as well as two residential buildings, were consumed along with goods worth several millions of naira by the midnight fire which men of the state fire service were unable to douse before it wreaked havoc.
In the meantime, Governor Ayodele Fayose has ordered the Hausa community be evacuated from Atikankan, to a safer place.
Fayose, who led the security team that included the newly posted Commissioner of Police, Mr. Etop James to the scene, expressed worry at the turn of events, despite his imposition of dusk-to-dawn curfew only on Thursday.
He, however, told newsmen in an interview that the incident would not compel him to declare a 24-hour curfew as being suggested in some quarters.
Commissioner of Police, Etop James, in a separate interview, told newsmen that he and his men, who he said were on top of the situation. He said that they worked tirelessly from about 1am yesterday to prevent what could have degenerated into an uncontrollable situation. He warned troublemakers to steer clear of the state
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