YUMBE. Violent scenes erupted in Yumbe Town, West Nile Sub-region, on Tuesday morning after a group of Muslim youth, armed with clubs and machetes, attacked government institutions and businesses belonging to Christians as they protested against the sale of pork in the area.
The conflict was sparked off as the police attempted to arrest Sheikh Kasim Abdallah, the Imam of Munir Mosque, who, in a video recording last week, urged the Muslims to reject the sale of pork in Yumbe, which he claims is predominantly a Muslim district.
The video was widely circulated on social media platforms, stirring debate among internet users. This drew mixed reactions, with some accusing the Muslim cleric of inciting violence while others applauded him for the move against the sale of pork.
In the viral video clip, as he spoke in the Aringa’ti language, Sheikh Abdallah said: “Should you (youth) see any pork, you should destroy it. Should the police ask, you should say I sent you to do it. Pork is a dirty meat. When you take it to the lab, worms will come out of it.”
He added: “…don’t allow pork joints in Yumbe by all means. You strike, whether using Karate, we shall do it by all means. We shall do that. Yumbe is not a place for pork.”
An eye witness who declined to be named for fear of reprisal, told this publication that: “The youth attacked our offices and smashed most of the windows and doors. They were telling us to stop eating pork if we want to be alive.”
He said there was a planned meeting on Tuesday to calm the situation following the video that circulated at the weekend.
“The meeting did not take place. As I was heading for work, I only heard people being mobilized from their mosques. Shortly after about an hour, youth mobs holding sticks started causing chaos in the town and in government offices,” he added.
The police responded by firing teargas and live bullets to disperse the rioting youth .
The North West Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Collins Asea, told this publication on phone that: “We are still busy gathering information right now ,but the situation is getting calm.”
According to the 2024 Census report, Yumbe District has a total population of 934,340 people. It comprises 76 per cent Muslims and about 24 per cent Christians. The town areas have some pork joints spread in different parts that were opened by businessmen to cater for those who partake of the meat.
The pork joints have become a target by the Muslim community. The Muslim leaders in the district had not yet issued a statement about the situation by press time.