The tribunal declared the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) governorship candidate, Hajia Aisha Alhassan, as the duly elected candidate.
Thirty persons were feared killed. Many were injured in Wukari Local Government. But an eyewitness said eight people died.
As news of the judgment spread across the state, APC supporters rejoiced and PDP sympathisers were sad. Later, the two groups engaged in a bloody clash.
The bloodbath lasted from Saturday till yesterday, leading to the destruction of property valued at millions of naira.
Police spokesman Joseph Kwaji confirmed the crisis.
Sources said soldiers from the 93 Battalion, Ada Barracks, Takum, were drafted to save the situation.
The military and the police were said to have prevented the spread of the crisis into other councils.
Kwaji told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jalingo, the capital, yesterday that the crisis broke out on Sunday morning.
“Yes there was crisis in Wukari, but it is under control now. Security men have been deployed and peace restored.
“Investigation is on, but it is likely that the crisis is in connection with the verdict of the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal of Saturday,” he said.
The command’s spokesman, who said figures of casualty had not been ascertained, warned the people not to take the law into their hands.
He said Police Commissioner Shaba Alkali had moved to the area to ensure peace.
Kwaji warned that the command would be hard on anyone bent on fomenting trouble in any part of the state using the verdict of the tribunal as an excuse.
A former Vice Chairman of Wukari Local Government Council, Alhaji Tanimu Danlele, told NAN that eight people died and more than 30 others were injured.
He thanked security agents for ensuring quick return of normalcy to the area and urged them to be vigilant to forestall a reccurrence
A resident of Wukari, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the PDP-APC crisis later snowballed into a religious conflict between Christians and Muslims.
“Even the APC supporters became divided between Christians and Muslims; the PDP men also became divided between Christians and Muslims,” the source said.
Governor Ishaku is Christian while Alhassan is a Muslim.
Our source said he identified three of the bodies recovered.
“The deceased are people that I know; I even know their parents.
“A Muslim friend told me on telephone that one of his sons was killed in the crisis. The other two bodies are Jukun youths that I know. I’m preparing to go out and commiserate with their parents as soon as calm is restored,” he said.
Wukari residents said they remained indoors throughout yesterday, adding that trouble began by 1pm on Saturday, with gun booming till yesterday evening.