Annual report on Nigeria / Colonial Office.

  • Colonial Office
Date:
[1950]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on Nigeria / Colonial Office. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    77/156 page 71
    adjournments of the case were made, but the final day of the trial passed off peacefully. The three leaders were convicted. Tivs and Obudus. In May, 1950, there was an affray between the Tivs of the Abaduku clan and the Obudus of the Bette clan on the borders of the Ogoja and Benue Provinces. Eighteen Tivs, including men, women and children, and one Hausa were killed, and many wounded. There were two Obudu deaths. Many Tiv com¬ pounds were destroyed but, owing to prompt administrative and police action, the situation was prevented from assuming even more serious proportions. Okrika and Kalahari. In the Rivers Province at the beginning of the year, sporadic outbursts of fighting occurred over fishing rights between the Okrika and Kalahari tribes. Mr. Justice Robinson held an inquiry into the dispute and made recommendations for settling it, but it was not possible to put them into force owing to an attack made by the Kalahari on the Okrika on 4th and 5th August. A band of Kalahari war canoes attacked Okrika fishermen at Ochokorocho and are believed to have massacred 119 Okrikas. Twenty-three bodies were recovered. Regular police launch patrols, in addition to extra police, succeeded in bringing the area back to normal. As a result of an inquiry held into this incident by Mr. O. P. Gunning and Mr. S. O. Adebo, Administrative Officers, and Mr. G. G. Briggs, Crown Counsel, the Governor in April, 1951, acting under the Collective Punishment Ordinance (Nigeria Laws, cap 34) imposed a fine of £20,000 on the Kalahari communities involved. Of this, £12,000 will be paid in compensation to those Okrikas who were bereaved and the remainder will be used to help pay for the extra Police who had to be moved into the area. U.A.C. Strike. Between 2nd August and 8th August, 1950, the Amalgamated Union of United Africa Company African Workers declared a general strike. Several incidents occurred, during which police were compelled to resort to the use of batons, as large numbers of strikers assembled and intimidated non-strikers. Forty-two strikers were arrested and 19 convicted, mostly for assault. Lagos Chieftainship dispute. From 22nd August until early October constant clashes occurred in Lagos between supporters of the present Oba of Lagos and a rival house which claimed their nominee was the rightful Oba. The Police were compelled to use batons on several occasions to disperse unruly elements of both parties ; on one occasion tear smoke had to be used. Umuahia. On 16th October disturbances by ex-servicemen com¬ menced at Umuahia, 27 miles from Aba. Three hundred and twenty - five police and one company of the Nigeria Regiment were sent to the area. Twelve arrests were made.
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