From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
At least, five persons are feared dead while scores of others are missing due to fresh inter-communal clash between Owawha and Okwagbe communities in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.
The clash which occurred on Thursday resulted from a disputed piece of land.
It was said to have started when youths of Okwagbe allegedly launched a fatal attack on Owahwa community, leading to the death of one.
President General of Owahwa community, Mr. John Akpoveta called for the immediate intervention of the government and security agencies to stop further killings of its indigenes
Akpoveta alleged that “Okwagbe people came to attack our community with full force, and we as a community were not expecting or ready for any attack of such. They just came and killed one of our boys.
“We are having a land issue over which we took them to the traditional council of Ughevwi. As indigenes when there is such land issue, we have a direction to follow to resolve such issue but when we took them to Ughevwi council, they summoned them but they refused to appear at the council in Jeremi.
“Although before today, they arrested two of our persons, and we were planning how to get them because we don’t know where they took them to, and about three of our persons that went to the bush were also missing and we were looking for them.
“So this morning Okwagbe boys came to our community because they believed nobody is there, when our boys heard of it they went to stop them because you won’t just allow somebody to come into your community and start destroying properties, burning houses, not knowing they were armed. By the time they saw our boys they shot at them and killed one of them, this is the body you are seeing here.
“Nobody tolerates nonsense but we are peace loving people, so we are using this medium to appeal to government and security agencies to come to our rescue because we learnt they are planning another attack tonight.”
However, an indigene of Okwagbe who spoke on the condition of anonymity, alleged that four indigenes of Okwagbe had been killed by Owahwa youths.
“They attacked and killed two of our indigenes that went to the bush. Then they also attacked another two on bike coming from Oginibo.
“They shot one of them on the neck, we rushed him to the hospital but he died while the other died on the spot. That is the blood you are seeing there. So four our persons have died,” the source said.
As at the time of filing this report, security personnel comprising the police and army who earlier deployed to both communities, were said to have left despite the rising tension in the area.