TWO KILLED, HOUSES BURNT AS UMUNBO AND OMOR COMMUNITIES CLASH IN ANAMBRA

Houses and other property worth millions of naira have been destroyed as a result of land dispute between Umunbo and Omor communities in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The clash has caused panic among residents of the two communities who are predominantly farmers as most people have fled for safety.

The disputed land was said to have been assigned to farmers from the two communities by the Lower Anambra Irrigation Development Authority for the purpose of rice cultivation and other farming activities.

However, an eyewitness, Mr. Tony Nnaama, told Radio Nigeria that the allocations made by the agency did not go down well with some people from the two communities.

Mr. Nnaama, who is the President General of Umunbo, expressed regret that the stakeholders involved could not resolve the dispute, which had led to the recent killings and destruction of property.

“Honestly I’m surprised over this development, we tried to settle this matter last year but they did not agree to the conditions. Had it been our stakeholders followed it up, they would have resolved it. A twenty six year boy was killed in the evening, another old man this morning. Everyone in my community have run away, it’s remaining only few of us who said if they want to kill us we are ready.

“I have been going house by house telling the few aged ones, who could not run to be strong. What will security do? The deed has been done already. Houses and cars burnt,” Mr. Nnaama lamented.

An indigene of the Community, Mr. Onyekwelu Aniagolu, who described the incident as barbaric and wanton destruction, appealed to government and security agencies to urgently come to their rescue by restoring peace in the area.

“My brother’s house was set ablaze, the youths just entered around three o’clock in the morning. Elderly ones did not even know where to run to, let boundary adjustment people come to help us,” Mr. Aniagolu cried out.

The President General of Omor, Mr. Mike Nebife, alleged that some farmers from the community were ploughing the land when some youths from Umunbo invaded and chased them out threatening to kill them.

“So they ran home and mobilized others. They held one person from Umunbo but our Traditional Ruler directed them to hand him over to the police but the Umunbo people came attacking not knowing that the captured person was in police custody so they clashed with our people.”

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Haruna Muhammed, said the command had deployed conventional police to maintain peace in the area.

Mr. Muhammed, however, advised the two communities to remain law abiding and always seek peaceful ways of resolving their disputes rather than taking laws into their hands.

UCHE NDEKE