LAGOS DECEMBER 8TH (URHOBOTODAY)-One person was shot dead, another beheaded in a renewed boundary dispute which broke out on Tuesday between Igbide and Okpolo-Enwhe communities in Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State.
Many others were reportedly injured in the conflict.
The two warring communities had few months ago entered into a peace accord which however collapse on Monday when youths from both communities engaged themselves in fresh crisis.
BigPen Online gathered that one Mr. Felix Abrere, a hunter, was allegedly beheaded on his way to his farm while another victim, Mr. Ezeze Udumedjeno was alleged to have been shot dead on Tuesday morning.
It was learnt that one of the victims was killed about 6:am near a brigde between the two commmunities while the other in a reprisal attack was beheaded in his way to his farm.
President-General of Okpolo-Enwhe community, Mr. Sunday Egboye, who confirmed the incident, accused Igbide community of igniting the fresh attacks by allegedly attacking their people.
Egboye said “it was the people of Igbide that invaded our community and started chasing our people from their houses and one person, Mr. Ezeze Udumedjeno was shot dead while two other indigenes of our community were injured.
“As we speak now, those that are injured have been taken to the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, for treatment. They are the people always coming to us for trouble; we have never one day mobilized to meet them. They are the people always attacking us”, he added.
In a swift reaction, the President-General of Igbide community, Chief David Edegware, said what provoked the renewed hostility was the alleged abduction of three farmers who are indigenes of his community.
He said that one of the victims, Abrere, was killed by his captors and his head taken away by the attackers suspected to be from the neighbouring community of Okpolo-Enwhe.
Edegware noted that other abductees were still missing and had not been seen since on Monday when they were kidnapped in their farmlands.
“On Monday Okpolo-Enwhe people invaded our farmlands and abducted three farmers. The three persons are still missing as we speak (on Tuesday). Later in the day they tried to invade our community and there was commotion.
“It was soldiers who were on ground that helped to quell the crisis. Then today, one of our indigene, Mr. Felix Abrere was beheaded and they took his head away.”
State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, could not be reached for confirmation as calls to his line rang repeatedly without picking his call while text message to his line on the incident was not replied at the time of filing this report.
BigPen Online recalls that the Igbide and Okpolo-Enwhe boundary dispute had lingered for the last 40 years and degenerated in May 6, 2016 leading to the killing of several persons and destruction of houses.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Isoko South Council, Hon Itiako Constantine Ikpokpo has appealed to the warring communities to sheath their sword and stop the senseless killing.
BigPen