Houses and property have been destroyed following violent clashes between Umunbo and Omor communities of Ayamelum local government area of Anambra State, over a land.
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 for farming.
However, President General of Umunbo, Mr Tony Nnaama reported that the allocations made by the agency were rejected by some members of the two communities.
Mr Nnaama said stakeholders could not resolve the dispute, which had led to the recent killings and destruction of property.
“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 has run away, it is remaining only a 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 “.
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 while threatening to kill them.
“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”.
Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Haruna Muhammed, said the command had deployed police to maintain peace in the area.