From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Panic and anxiety have enveloped Umuanum Ohekelem in Ngor Okpala council and Ogbor Uvuru in Aboh Mbaise council as the two neighbouring communities engaged in a gun battle over boundary dispute.
It was gathered that trouble started when youths of Ogbor Uvuru in Aboh Mbaise allegedly invaded Umuanum Ohekelem community on Monday and destroyed houses and properties.
A resident told Daily Sun: “In the early hours of Monday, June 20, 2022, armed young men from Ogbor Uvuru Aboh Mbaise, came in their numbers, well armed and invaded a village in our community, Umuanum.
“They attacked our people with dangerous weapons, destroyed many houses, properties, forcefully harvested cassava in our farms and carted them away.
“We made an official complaint to the area command at Uvuru Mbaise. It was later that we realised the invasion and attack was as a result of the boundary dispute between Umuanum Ohekelem and Ogbor Uvuru.
“To our greatest dismay, seven days later, precisely on June 27, they came again with full force, destroyed more houses, shot indiscriminately and injured many people. It was at that point we contacted the Area Commander, Mohammad Umar Iya, who came to the scene. Right in his presence, the people were still destroying more properties and shooting sporadically.
“The area commander couldn’t do anything. Then people started scampering for safety while many of our youths were shot. They are lying critically ill in the hospital. The community has been deserted. It was at that point we suspected a foul play on the side of the police.”
Meanwhile, Umuanum community has accused the area commander of compromise and called on the state government to intervene in the matter.
However, it took the combined efforts of the special adviser to the governor on security matters and the officers of the Nigerian naval base, Owerrinta, to calm the situation.
Residents of the two communities are appealing to the government to intervene in the situation by ensuring a proper demarcation and delineation of the disputed boundary of the two neighbouring communities is effected to avoid further shed of blood.
When contacted, spokesman of the state command, Michael Abbattam, who confirmed the incident, said the area commander and divisional police officer were working to ensure peace is restored in the area.
Also, the traditional ruler of the Ohekelem community, Emmanuel Okere, confirmed the incident and called on the state government to immediately come for the demarcation and delineation of the disputed boundary of the two communities, while effort made to reach the traditional ruler of Ogbor Uvuru community, proved abortive as he did not pick several calls put across to him as at the time of filing this report.
However, there is fear that Ogbor people may launch another attack on Umuanum town any moment.
It was gathered that the boundary dispute between the two neighbouring communities has lingered for a very long time, leading to loss of lives and properties.