The trouble was said to have started after a brief argument between the two traders.
Irate youths mainly traders at the New Benin Market in Benin, Edo state went on rampage on Saturday after an Igbo trader was attacked and reportedly killed with a machete by another trader of northern extraction.
The trouble was said to have started after a brief argument between the two traders.
The Igbo trader was said to have ordered the Hausa trader to leave the front of his store.
Feeling slighted, the Hausa trader drew his machete and inflicted several cuts on the Igbo trader which reportedly led to his death.
Although the security agencies were said to have condoned the area of the town to prevent further breakdown of law and order, a viral video making round in social media showed angry youths in wild protest as they pounced on the suspected killer.
When the Edo State Police Command was contacted, it confirmed the incident but said neither the victim nor the assailant was killed.
The command's spokesman, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said, “The issue is that today, June 11, the command received a distress call that a certain man used a cutlass to inflict injuries on another man.
“Immediately the command mobilised the tactical teams, police operatives, police patrol teams and even the divisional police officers around the area.
“The officers moved in there and met the assailant in the hands of angry mob severely beaten. The officers equally met the victim and immediately took both the victim and the assailant down to the police station nearby. From there both the assailant and the victim were taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment for security reasons.
"As we speak normalcy has returned to new Benin area. People are moving around going about their normal and legitimate businesses.
"The Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, warned that no one has the right to take the life of another and also encourage those who are of the business of using jungle Justice to settle scores not to do.
"He, however, advises them that in such situations, such perceived offender should be apprehended and handed over to the police for further investigation. This has been the situation in Benin.”