Five die as scavengers clash in River Park Estate, Lugbe

Five scavengers were feared dead after they attacked one another with cutlasses and knives near River Park Estate in Lugbe, along Airport road in Abuja.

It was gathered that four scavengers died on the spot while one other later died at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada, Daily Trust reports.

A witness, Israel Musa, said the incident happened around 3:23 pm on Tuesday, during a misunderstanding between groups of scavengers, saying the scavengers brought out cutlasses and knives and started fighting.

“It was at one of the refuse dump site just close to the estate that they fought one another.

“And before you know what was happening, the other group brought out cutlass and knives and attacked the other which suddenly led to the death of four persons on the spot,” he said.

He said the police in Lugbe were immediately alerted who rushed to the scene and evacuated the corpses into the patrol van to the hospital, even as he said some of the scavengers who sustained injuries took to their heels upon sighting the police.

Our reporter, who visited the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada, saw four corpses of the scavengers at the accident and emergency unit of the hospital, while one of the victims, who sustained matchete cut, was later confirmed dead in the hospital.

When contacted, the spokesman of the FCT police command, ASP Maryam Yusuf, confirmed the incident, saying five persons lost died during a clash that ensued among the scavengers.

She said the command was still investigating the incident.