Nigerians, Cameroonians clash ‘over beer price’ in Dubai

Two persons were feared dead when groups of Cameroonian and Nigerian traders clashed in Deira, Dubai this week, a witness told The Guardian on Tuesday.

The two persons killed were Cameroonians, two witnesses said in separate voice notes the witness sent to our correspondent.

A video the witness sent showed a man suspected to be Nigerian bleeding profusely from his head.

The fight broke after Cameroonian traders accused Nigerians of selling beers at cheaper rates, thereby drawing more customers to their stores.

“Nigerians are selling beer at a cheaper price than they do,” one person familiar with the crisis said in one of the voice notes. “That was the cause of the serious crisis, although they said the situation is under control. People are still fighting in other places.”

The chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission Abike Dabiri-Erew did not respond to the SMS sent to her phone on Tuesday evening.

Cameroon News Agency, however, reported that the fight broke after Nigerians attacked a Cameroonian trader identified as Tasso. It said both communities have been having a cold war in a place where they both sell beverages.

“Last night after beating Tasso to near death, about 10 Cameroonians stormed the streets looking for their aggressors. One person was seriously beaten as others escaped,” the Douala-based news website said in a post on its Facebook page.

“Police in Dubai have been notified but the situation remains tense.”

A Nigerian said indiscriminate arrest by the police has not helped to douse the tension.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with the head of the police. We are complaining about the situation of things, they’re doing a different thing,” he said.

An email sent to the Dubai Police on Tuesday night was not immediately replied.