FOUR mosques, and three churches yesterday were razed in Numan, Adamawa State during a riot sparked off by the killing of a woman preacher, Pastor Zinkai Ethan by a water hawker, the state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Hafiz Abubakar Ringim has confirmed.

Hafiz said in Yola that trouble broke out Sunday in Numan following a disagreement over the price of water between the water hawker, Mohammed Salisu and Pastor Zinkai Ethan during which Ethan was stabbed and killed by Salisu. He said that the murder provoked Ethan's colleagues who subsequently went on rampage destroying places of worships, houses, vehicles and other belongings. The Commissioner of Police said that two persons had so far been ascertained killed in the riot. He added that the suspected assailant (Mohammed Salisu) escaped to the Numan Divisional Police Station and the protesters marched to the station and attempted to burn it before they were chased away.

"The Adamawa State Police Command in conjunction with other security agents have mobilised their men to curb the escalation of the crises which has been brought under control," he said. The police boss disclosed that the water hawker that sparked off the riot had been arrested and detained while scores of people are taking refuge at the Numan Police Station.

"The Numan Central Market as well as many shops belonging to individuals were either burnt or vandalised by the rioters," the commissioner further disclosed. He stated that though normalcy had been restored in the ancient town, full scale investigation by the police to ascertain extent of damage had commenced. Alhaji Hafiz Abubakar Ringim appealed to people of the state to go about their normal duties and retrain from taking the laws into their hands

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