LAGOS (Reuters) - Nigeria's president appealed for calm on Sunday following reports of intercommunal violence between ethnic groups at a market in the southwestern state of Oyo.

Clashes between traders from the Yoruba and Hausa ethnic groups broke out on Saturday at Shasha market in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo, the state governor's spokesman said. Most Yoruba live in southwestern Nigeria, while the Hausa are concentrated in northern states.

Tensions have increased in southwestern states in recent weeks amid claims by public figures that nomadic cattle herders from the mainly northern Fulani ethnic group are carrying out violent crimes, which the pastoralists have denied. Many of the herders have moved south in search of dwindling grazing land.

Usman Yako, chair of the Hausa traders association at Shasha market, told Reuters by telephone at least 11 people from his ethnic group were killed in clashes at the market on Friday and Saturday that followed an argument between Yoruba and Hausa traders.

President Muhammadu Buhari appealed on Twitter to religious and traditional leaders, as well as elected leaders, "to join hands with the federal government to ensure that communities in their domain are not splintered along ethnic and other primordial lines".

"We will not allow any ethnic or religious groups to stoke up hatred and violence against other groups," he wrote.

Oyo state police did not immediately respond to calls requesting comment.

"The attacks, which led to the loss of lives and properties, must be investigated and perpetrators brought to justice," rights group Amnesty International said in a statement, referring to the violence at Shasha market.

Nigeria's security forces are already stretched by armed gangs of kidnappers in the northwest and an Islamist militant insurgency in the northeast.

(Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram in Lagos, Ardo Hazzad in Bauchi, and Tife Owolabi in Yenagoa; Additional reporting by Paul Carsten in Abuja; Editing by Daniel Wallis)

I am surprised no Nigerian media aired this.I thank Gov. Umar Ganduje for the late night peace meeting with youth leaders to prevent reprisals.
We all have our brothers everywhere let us not be used by politicians as pawns in the game of power.

Twitter

The First time he looks thinking.

charleff512:
I am surprised no Nigerian media aired this.I thank Gov. Umar Ganduje for the late night peace meeting with youth leaders to prevent reprisals.
We all have our brothers everywhere let us not be used by politicians as pawns in the game of power.

Who is afraid of REPRISALS ATTACK ?

Enough is Enough

If we can’t live together in peace

Abegggg anything way wan happen make E happen

We have had enough

Mokason288:

Who is afraid of REPRISALS ATTACK ?

Enough is Enough

If we can’t live together in peace

Abegggg anything way wan happen make E happen

We have had enough

Bros if you dey north you go understand

Mokason288:

Who is afraid of REPRISALS ATTACK ?

Enough is Enough

If we can’t live together in peace

Abegggg anything way wan happen make E happen

We have had enough

It is easy to make anyhow comment because you do not have family in the North. Reprisals will not bring peace my brother. Those who are in the North (Yoruba & Igbo) are panicking now

Ah so they are even planning to attack Yoruba in the north. He better enlighten the morons. How many Yoruba residing north? The number of Yoruba living in the north can't even up to the numbers of Hausa people living in Agege alone .

He better warn them very well so dog and baboon will not soak in the blood like Buhari said.

charleff512:
I am surprised no Nigerian media aired this.I thank Gov. Umar Ganduje for the late night peace meeting with youth leaders to prevent reprisals.
We all have our brothers everywhere let us not be used by politicians as pawns in the game of power.

samtol4:
It is easy to make anyhow comment because you do not have family in the North. Reprisals will not bring peace my brother. Those who are in the North (Yoruba & Igbo) are panicking now

I’m in the North now with my family...

No one has monopoly to madness

Is what Fulani needs to understand

charleff512:

Bros if you dey north you go understand

I was Born in Kano

School in Jos / Nassarawa

Now I’m with my family in Abuja

No one should have the monopoly of madness

Mokason288:

I was Born in Kano

School in Jos / Nassarawa

Now I’m with my family in Abuja

No one should have the monopoly of madness

But if you have witnessed violence in this clime you wont wish for one.
The #EndSARs protest hijack by hoodlums was an eye opener here

samtol4:
It is easy to make anyhow comment because you do not have family in the North. Reprisals will not bring peace my brother. Those who are in the North (Yoruba & Igbo) are panicking now

Thank you help me tell them ooo

I was calling one of my frnds dat own a building construction materials business yesterday on the situation on in kano he said the tension is very high and he is making plans to move back to the East this week with his family

one thing we don't know is dat if violence breaks out in the North as long as you no b hausa-fulani you are a target

those one no get time to segregate Igbo or yoruba or SS even Mb sef no save

samtol4:
It is easy to make anyhow comment because you do not have family in the North. Reprisals will not bring peace my brother. Those who are in the North (Yoruba & Igbo) are panicking now

Thank you help me tell them ooo

I was calling one of my frnds dat own a building construction materials business yesterday on the situation on in kano he said the tension is very high and he is making plans to move back to the East this week with his family

one thing we don't know is dat if violence breaks out in the North as long as you no b hausa-fulani you are a target

those one no get time to segregate Igbo or yoruba or SS even Mb sef no save

I am calling on every Igbo man over there move now that you can it's very very hard but it's something you have to do now that you have the time

charleff512:


But if you have witnessed violence in this clime you wont wish for one.
The #EndSARs protest hijack by hoodlums was an eye opener here

I know you’re Yoruba

Mokason288:

I know you’re Yoruba

I am not Yoruba.I am from south south but married to a Yoruba woman.It's just that I spent 30 years of my life in Lagos and I have been on and off the north in the last 11 years

Anyone who kill a Fulani, no matter how long, he will pay