The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Clash

  • 3SC may miss Warri Wolves clash

    3SC may miss Warri Wolves clash

    Shooting Stars coach, Gbenga Ogunbote has said officials are still begging the players, who embarked on a pay strike this week, to agree to travel for today’s NPFL clash at Warri Wolves.

    “As I speak to you, the boys have refused to travel for the match. We were meant to travel today, but it seems we can no longer do so. If the issue is not resolved before the end of the day, we will hope to travel first thing tomorrow morning,” disclosed Ogunbote.

    The players have boycotted training this week so as to press for the payment of their outstanding salaries as well as to sight the contracts they signed with the club.

    They have not been paid five months’ salaries as well as 10 match bonuses so far.

    It is believed the management are scrambling for some cash to pay the players.

    Shooting Stars are 14th on the table with 44 points.

    After the Warri Wolves game this weekend, they have a home game against Wikki before they finish the season away at relegation-threatened Abia Warriors.

  • Akwa Utd clash vital to Ifeanyi Ubah’s title hopes, says Aniyikaye

    Akwa Utd clash vital to Ifeanyi Ubah’s title hopes, says Aniyikaye

    FC Ifeanyi Ubah midfielder Adeleye Aniyikaye believes his side still have a chance of winning the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title this season as they take on Akwa United on Saturday in Nnewi.

    Aniyikaye insists that victory is very crucial to the team, especially with the league gradually winding down,” Adeleye told Goal.

    “The game against Akwa United is very important to us.We are currently placed fourth on the table, and still have the chance of winning the title. We must continue to win our games because the target is to unseat Enugu Rangers, who are top of the log.

    “The battle against Akwa United just happens to be one of those games that we have a bright chance of winning. Our tempo has been raised with the point earned at Abia Warriors, so it is important that we consolidate on Saturday.”

  • #BBOG campaigners, pro-govt group clash over protest

    #BBOG campaigners, pro-govt group clash over protest

    The police and a pro-President Muhammadu Buhari  group, With Buhari We Stand, yesterday disrupted a protest by members of the #BringBackOurGirls (#BBOG) movement.

    The police disrupted the protest at the Unity Fountain and in front of the Ministry of Justice.

    Though the movement made its way to the Villa gate after presenting its permit to the police, it was confronted by the pro-Buhari group.

    Leader of #BBOG group and former Education Minister, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, urged the police to learn from former Police |Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu, who attempted to stop the movement but had been retired.

    Dr Ezekwesili said the movement had notified the the police of ts protest 48 hours before the peaceful march.

    She said: “ The authorities of this country decided to issue an order that the #BringBackOurGirls movement cannot march to protest the fact of inaction concerning the then 219 girls who were abducted from their secondary school on April 14, 2014. We decided, according to the tenets of democracy, to go to court to challenge that and the court ruled in the favour of the movement and declared that the police have no right whatsoever to prevent citizens from engaging in this.

    “We have been having our marches. In furtherance of our core values, every march we have is given a 48-hour notice to the authorities. We submitted our letter to the office of the Commissioner of Police as well as the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) responsible for activities of this kind.

    “Today, we continue with our march and here we are, being cordoned off by a huge, heavy presence of mobile policemen. The shameful thing is that they are women, being used against their fellow women…”

    One of the leaders of “With Buhari We Stand” group, Comrade Idris King accused #BBOG of using the Chibok girls as a scam against a government that is doing its best to secure the lives of Nigerians.

    He said that the group came out to say enough is enough to groups like the #BBOG who have been disturbing the government.

    He said: “We are a solidarity group, we simply called ourselves together to chant the cause of support for our President, we gave our caption as in Buhari We Stand, our membership is cut across Nigerians, civil society groups, we are all Nigerians, we called ourselves together to say, let’s say enough is enough to those who are trying to disrupt the good work of our government, we are referring to members of the #BringBackOurGirls who have been disturbing the government to tell you the truth.”

     

    “Any responsible government, the issue of national security cannot be disclosed to the general public, we all know that back in the day, no one felt safe, we were all scared of bomb blasts, when this government came in, in their own wisdom, they used their own strategy and recorded this tremendous achievement, definitely the way these girls are going to come back, is going to be done as we have seen in the area of bombings.

     

    “Let me tell you the truth, the Chibok girls are only being used as a caption against Boko Haram, there were series of Nigerians that w ere kidnapped by those people, on a daily basis, our security operatives rescue a lot of people, these Chibok girls have been used just as a scam because if you can see what Ezekwesili is doing with this #BBOG, she is doing a good job but now that the government is in a critical situation of restoring peace and order in the country, she should not do it now, that is what we are saying, enough is enough, let the government do what it is doing because it is doing a very good job.”

     

    Our girls of Chibok are people where trying to gain an education so that they can join the Nigerian police, or the Nigerian army or the people who have served their nation in one capacity or the other but just look at you, you have been assembled to stop our march, a peaceful march, our movement has been a citizens movement of great core values we have been civil in our advocacy, we a democracy, you have no right to stop us from proceeding in a freeway.

     

    “May I remind you that Mbu once thought that he was the be all and end all of policing but a day came when it became past tense for Mbu so whoever is leading, let it be known that we will carry on with this march.

     

    “A government that pledged that during the period of its electoral campaign that it was going to bring back our Chibok girls swiftly, a government which when the President was being inaugurated stated that he would not consider Nigeria to have defeated Boko Haram and won the war until the government has rescued our Chibok girls and all other abducted citizens of Nigeria, we expected that same government to have worked swiftly and we as a movement is saying Mr President, no more excuses, no more delays.

     

    “Why should they take their time, it is day 876 since our girls have been in captivity. We said after one week of waiting for cohesive action that is driven by diligence and commitment, that are conveyed to any reasonable person that will know that action is being taken, not some bureaucratic squaddles that has attended anything that concerns our Chibok girls, when we did not see any form of real action, we decided that every 72 hours we will march to take our Chibok girls on the front bunner of the Presidents priority.

     

    “What is going on, is our government saying that demanding for our Chibok girls is in violation of the law? Is it now a crime to ask the government to perform it’s responsibility to the children of the poor that have been in Boko Haram captivity, I want you to know that freedom cannot be curtailed in a democracy, if the government is saying to us that we are no longer a democracy, it should let it be known clearly, we are not in violation of any rule or law, we met with due all process guidelines in order to embark on our protest.”

     

    One of the leaders of “With Buhari We Stand” group, Comrade Idris King accused #BBOG of using the Chibok girls as a scam against a government that is doing its best to secure the lives of Nigerians.

     

    He said that the group came out to say enough is enough to groups like the #BBOG who have been disturbing the government.

     

    He said: “We are a solidarity group, we simply called ourselves together to chant the cause of support for our President, we gave our caption as in Buhari We Stand, our membership is cut across Nigerians, civil society groups, we are all Nigerians, we called ourselves together to say, let’s say enough is enough to those who are trying to disrupt the good work of our government, we are referring to members of the #BringBackOurGirls who have been disturbing the government to tell you the truth.

     

    “Any responsible government, the issue of national security cannot be disclosed to the general public, we all know that back in the day, no one felt safe, we were all scared of bomb blasts, when this government came in, in their own wisdom, they used their own strategy and recorded this tremendous achievement, definitely the way these girls are going to come back, is going to be done as we have seen in the area of bombings.

     

    “Let me tell you the truth, the Chibok girls are only being used as a caption against Boko Haram, there were series of Nigerians that w ere kidnapped by those people, on a daily basis, our security operatives rescue a lot of people, these Chibok girls have been used just as a scam because if you can see what Ezekwesili is doing with this #BBOG, she is doing a good job but now that the government is in a critical situation of restoring peace and order in the country, she should not do it now, that is what we are saying, enough is enough, let the government do what it is doing because it is doing a very good job.”

     

    In responds to the In Buhari We Stand group, leader of the #BBOG strategic team, Aisha Yesufu said that they have no business with the other group.

     

    According to her, Nigeria is practising a democracy and therefore, everyone has the right to come and and protest for or against anything they want.

     

    Her words: “We have left the pictures of our girls at the Villa gate for the President to reminding himself that their are girls out there asking to be brought back home.

     

    “We have no business with that group, they are there, it is a free world, we are in a democracy. And every body has the right to come out and protest, for or against so they have every right to be here and we have no business with them. We had no interaction with them, our business is was with the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the reason why we mention President Muhammadu Buhari is because he is the President, if tomorrow he is no longer the President, whoever is president, we will deal with that person, so our business is not with any group.

     

    “But the biggest problem we had today is with the police who think that their alligence is with the president and the ruling party rather than the Nigerian state and it’s people and to that we told them that they have to be law enforcers not, not law breakers.”

     

    END

     

     

  • Re: Army/Shiites Clash

    SIR: The Nation editorial of Tuesday, August 9, refers. Although I have not read the full reports submitted by the commission of inquiry set up by the government of Kaduna State to look into the circumstances culminating in the clash between the army and the Shiites in Zaria last year December, going through the arguments marshalled by the army in their defence against the allegation of human rights violation levelled against them, I am convinced that the current government at the centre was going for a Machiavellian approach in its bid to meet the December deadline given to the military to end insurgency in the war torn North-east.

    According to the army, the sect barricaded the road through which the Chief of Army Staff and his convoy were travelling. Added to this was that the sect members were armed with dangerous weapons like catapult, knives, and swords. On the other hand, the sect has claimed to be a peaceful group. Of course, one need not be told that a peaceful group would not obstruct roads let alone be armed with dangerous weapons if the claim of the army should ever be taken hook, line and sinker. And, even at that, should the supposed offenders be killed like fowls? Not even the teargas, rubber bullets or any other less sophisticated means employed to disperse the sect members. The army opened fire on the civilian Shiites, being convinced that they acted in accordance with Section 33(2c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Can we then establish a riot, insurrection or mutiny here?

    It is understandable that Zaria, though not in the North-eastern zone, is volatile like any other city in the Northern part of the country. Bearing this in mind therefore should not be an excuse for any armed men to transfer aggression to non-insurgents as this could further provoke war from another angle. We should not forget that at the time Boko Haram started, we were about celebrating our victory over militancy in the Niger Delta. The celebration was disrupted by the extrajudicial killing of the leader of Boko Haram, Yusuff Muhammed in 2009, and since then peace has been distant from us.  So, much care is needed now that the Boko Haram insurgents are on the verge of losing the war, given the claim of the military, for us not to have this victory halted as well.

    Let me put it straight that no development-minded citizen would speak in favour of road obstructions under any circumstances. In the same vein, no avowed humanist would support the army reactions for such reactions could not be considered equal, though opposite, to the earlier actions exhibited by the sect. Not minding the means employed to attain the target, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces would not come out to express his dissatisfaction publicly over the incident but would rather promise to act on the issue after receiving the reports as if that was the first case of road blocking encountered by the army and others in uniform. In Ibadan where I reside, hardly will a week pass without experiencing road block in some areas for trading, religious and ceremonial purposes. Yet, no civilian or military life has ever been reported to have been illegitimately taken in such circumstances. So, why should the Shiite’s case be a different one in a country where preservation of human life is dearly needed at this critical time having lost a large number of our brothers and sisters to the ravaging war mounted by Boko Haram?

    While wishing our gallant military sound victory over these few vermin called Boko Haram, I salute the uncommon courage of the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el Rufai for being objective in the handling of the case involving the sect labelled controversial by their Sunni counterparts. I appeal to fellow citizens to stay away from public gatherings that could generate road obstruction for this could be mistaken for a riot, insurrection or mutiny by the trigger-happy men in uniform in order not to have our precious lives cut short by the executors of the Machiavellian philosophy.

     

    • George OludareIbikunle,

    Ibadan, Oyo State

  • Community seeks harmony after clash

    There were gunshots. A house was burnt down. Other structures were damaged, roofing sheets knocked down, windows smashed. There were even claims that a few people were shot, though none died.

    But in ones and twos, residents who fled in the heat of the clash have started coming back home, as some calm returned to Inyi, a riverside community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State, after two of its four quarters, Obecha and Umuinyagbo, fell out bitterly at a sanitation exercise. The community leaders have been meeting to foster peace and harmony between the feuding quarters. All the destruction took place in Obecha.

    It was a needless clash, veteran journalist and community leader Mr. Mike Nwabueze told The Nation on the telephone.

    “Can you imagine that the violence started over a mere guava tree,” Nwabueze, of Umuinyagbo quarter, said.

    In the course of a sanitation exercise by the community’s youths, one of them from Umuinyagbo threatened to cut down a guava tree on the Obecha side of the border. An Obecha youth dared him to fell the tree. He did, and was hit by the Obecha youth. A fight ensued. An assault rifle went off somewhere in Obecha, The Nation was told.

    The Okpala-Ukwu, who holds the revered office of the oldest man in the four-quarter community, weighed in. He summoned the feuding quarters, blamed and fined Umuinyagbo for cutting down the guava tree. Umuinyagbo youths were said to have felt that the Okpala-Ukwu did not quite do justice to the matter, and that he glossed over an alleged belligerent attitude of Obecha people, including the initial gunshot, which Umuinyagbo youths interpreted as an intention of war.

    What happened next was horror never seen in the community, which is united in every imaginable way and separated only by the names of its four quarters: Obecha, Umuinyagbo, Isiolu and Umuagwuyam.

    Most residents fled their homes, some as far as Asaba, the state capital, and Benin City, the Edo State capital. Some ran to Kwale, headquarters of Ndokwa West Local Government Area of the state, or just about anywhere they could find peace.

    The violence has subsided, thanks to the efforts of the community leaders who notified the local council leadership. Acting chairman of the council Hon Dickson Okonta led a delegation to Inyi to calm tensions. The Inyi Improvement Union, an umbrella body of the community, has also been meeting, mostly at Ashaka near Kwale, and sending peace delegations home.

    These efforts are paying off. Some who fled their homes have started returning, including some of Nwabueze’s relatives.

    Dr. Anene Nwafili, of Obecha extraction, who teaches at University of Port Harcourt, was stunned at the level of destruction in a community united by marriage, culture and tradition. His family lost a house to the clash.

    Nwabueze pointed out the foolishness in the violence, saying there is hardly any family in any of the quarters that is not tied through marriage to the next quarter. The Nwafilis, for instance, married two women from Umuinyagbo.

    The veteran journalist also told The Nation that the community leadership will concern itself to mopping up illicit weapons in the hands of Inyi residents.

  • Clash of governor, governor-elect

    Clash of governor, governor-elect

    There is confusion in Abia State. Four days ago, a Federal High Court in Abuja deposed the governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, for tax evasion. The former university don appealed the judgment, claiming that he is still the governor. But, yesterday the man who challenged his victory in court, Dr. Uche Ogah, stormed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters, Abuja. There, he was given a Certificate of Returns.

    Ikpeazu’s appeal is pending at the Court of Appeal. Thus, according to law, the status quo remains, until the case is disposed off by the court. In the eye of the law, he remains the chief executive, until the determination of the substantive case. The puzzle is: is an appeal to a higher tribunal not accompanied by a stay of execution order?

    Also, in the eye of the law, Ogah became the governor-elect, following the receipt of the Certificate of Return. The implication is that the certificate issued to Ikpeazu has been statutorily withdrawn. In a state, two people cannot lay claim to an election certificate.  Was the INEC hasty in issuing a new certificate to Ogah?

    In God’s Own State, as Abia is fondly called, there is a governor and a governor-elect. The governor is struggling to keep his job. In fact, he has assembled a team of lawyers for a renewed legal battle. Ogah is in a celebration mood, eager to be sworn in.

    The last governorship election was a subject of litigation for almost a year. The battle shifted from the polling booth to the court, following a case instituted by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Dr. Alex Otti. But, at the Supreme Court, Ikpeazu’s victory was affirmed.

    Ogah approached the High Court with prayers over a pre-election matter. He did not allege exclusion from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary. Neither did he accuse the handlers of the shadow poll of partiality, rigging or malpractices. The plaintiff did not say that he won the primary. His argument was that the winner, Ikpeazu, contested for the ticket in error. The aggrieved PDP chieftain said the governor was not eligible. Thus, a novel case of political right claim has arisen under a difficult situation.

    The focus is electioneering, not the election day. Electioneering covers a longer process, between the preparations for nomination, through primary to voting, counting of votes, announcement of results and post-election litigation. The concern is about the process of an election, not about party victory or personal triumph for a candidate. What the judgment of the High Court has brought to the fore is that election starts from the party primary; how it is conducted, the rules guiding the process, the conditions for eligibility and the lawful advantage of revisiting the selection process, even after the general election has been won and lost.

    Pre-election matters have shaped the outcome of polls and emergence of winners in some states. In Rivers State, former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who was wrongly excluded from the primary by the PDP, later reclaimed the mandate from the interloper, Celestine Omehia. The victory of the party was not disputed by the court. In Kogi State, following the inconclusive governorship election, an aspirant who lost at the primary became the candidate for the residual election, following the death of the original flag bearer.

    The pre-election matter in Abia was the eligibility of the winner of the election. Ogah, who scored the second highest votes at the primary, alleged that Ikpeazu, the former General Manager of Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and safety Scheme (ASPIMSS) and first Deputy General Manager of Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), submitted a false tax clearance certificate. He described it as a serious infraction, urging the court to depose him because he was not qualified to contest. Justice Okon Abang, who upheld his prayer, ruled that he was the candidate.

    But, does the matter end there? The verdict is sacrosanct. Also is the potency of Ikpeazu’s appeal to the higher court.

    Will the Chief Judge of Abia ignore the appeal and swear in Ogah?  In another twist, an Abia High Court granted an ex-pate application yesterday against the swearing in of Ogah as governor by the Chief Judge.

    Ikpeazu and Ogah are fighters. If Ikpeazu’s appeal succeeds, it will invalidate Ogah’s certificate. If not, he becomes the governor. The likelihood exists that the case may be finally decided at the Supreme Court. Until then, the confusion continues.

  • One dies, others injured as OPC, hoodlums clash in Lagos

    One dies, others injured as OPC, hoodlums clash in Lagos

    A man identified as Rasheed Olanrewaju, 31, has been killed and two others injured after vigilant members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and hoodlums clashed in Ajagunle, a Lagos suburb.

    The incident which occurred around 10pm on Tuesday at Arumo Street, caused panic among residents as buildings were torched by the rampaging youth.

    Olanrewaju, a labourer at Wharf was said to have gone out to buy something to eat when stray bullet from the OPC group hit him on his chest, killing him instantly.

    Trouble was said to have started after the vigilantes refused to give the youths their share of money collected from a land developer.

    It was gathered that an OPC leader in the area identified as Ezekiel collected money from a man who wanted to develop his land in the area, without settling other groups who went to the man for their share.

    But their demand was swiftly turned down by the developer who disclosed that he has given huge sum of money to the said Ezekiel for settlement of the ‘boys’, prompting the hoodlums to engage the vigilantes in a duel.

    The Nation gathered that the fight lasted over two hours, with residents scampering for safety for fear of being hit by stray bullets.

    It was learnt that some of the residents of Ezie lane, Ezie Street, Ugbonwankwo and adjoining streets took cover inside their homes as sporadic gunshots were fired by each faction.

    They were also said to have thrown bottles and other dangerous weapons without caution.
    It was gathered that one of the injured persons was an OPC member who works in a neighbouring street, while one of the two persons arrested by the police allegedly sustained amput injury.

    At the time The Nation visited the street, anti-riot and Rapid Response Squad (RRS) policemen on virtually all the streets in the neighbourhood, with pockets of angry, grumbling youths around the Ezie lane junction.

    The huge police presence, residents said, should be sustained for at least a week to prevent a reoccurrence.

    According to a resident who refused to be named, the policemen who first responded to the distress call were stoned by the hoodlums who torched the OPC office and a nearby kiosk, before reinforcement was sent from the police command and RRS.

    Another witness, Patricia Udofia told The Nation that it was not the first time hoodlums and vigilantes would clash in the neighbourhood.

    She said they usually attacked themselves, adding that the hoodlums always harass people for people.

    “It is not the first time. They are always having issues. But it has been long they fought last. I do not really know what happened but we heard it is about money that the vigilantes refused to share.

    “We heard money was given to Ezekiel but he did not give the other group their share. The two groups were attacking themselves with guns and other weapons.

    “Some people said Ezekiel’s group killed one person belonging to the opposing camo, while others said the person killed was just an innocent boy,” she said.

    At the deceased’s house, The Nation gathered that he was a labourer at Wharf and that he was buried on Monday morning in accordance to Islamic rites.

    Confirming the incident, the state command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police (SP) said two suspects were arrested.

    She said: “Yes, there was a fight between area boys and Vigilante group members at Arumo Street in Ajegunle over ‘Omo onile’ money. The Commander of the Vigilante group allegedly collected the money and refused to share with the area boys.

    “As a result, the hoodlums attacked the vigilantes and set their office, as well as a nearby kiosk ablaze. In the process, the vigilantes shot and killed one person.

    “The police went to the scene and restored calm. Two persons were arrested, while two live and four expended cartridges were recovered. The case is under investigation.”

  • Four dead as suspected cult members clash in Ilorin

    Four persons were killed at the weekend in Ilorin, when a fight broke out between suspected members of two rival cults.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that last Sunday, suspected cult members struck at Ikokoro/Sakamo in Ilorin and allegedly killed a boy.

    The latest cult clash occurred at Babako, Ita-Amodu and Agbo-Oba in the Ilorin metropolis between Saturday night and early Sunday.

    NAN learnt that the clash heightened tension in the areas, while residents scampered for safety.

    Eyewitness told NAN yesterday in Ilorin that four persons, including a 20- year-old man, were allegedly shot.

    The source, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that members of “Aiye” Confraternity first struck at Babako about 9:30 pm on Saturday and allegedly killed two persons.

    He said the suspected cultists later headed for Ita-Amodu and Agbo-oba on a revenge mission.

    Police spokesman Ajayi Okasanmi confirmed the incident.

    He said: “I can confirm to you that one person has been killed by the suspected cultists and this happened at Babako in Ilorin.

    “Men of the police command have taken his body to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.”

    Okasanmi warned cultists to stay away from the state, stressing that anyone caught would be punished.

  • Two killed, 40 houses razed as mango sparks communal clash in Edo

    Two killed, 40 houses razed as mango sparks communal clash in Edo

    Two persons have been killed and 40 houses razed down in a clash between two communities in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.

    The Uneme-Ekpedo and Bekuma-Okpameri cpmmunities clashed on Wednesday  after some members quarrelled over a mango tree.

    It was gathered that four persons from Uneme-Ekpedo community went to a bush to pluck mangoes, but one of them was killed by youths from Bekuma-Okpameri community, who claimed the mango tree belonged to them.

    Peeved by the killing, youths from Uneme-Ekpedo were said to have mobilized and attacked Bekuma-Okpameri and set houses ablaze.

    The palace of the traditional ruler of Bekuma-Okpameri, HRH Moses Alabi, was also torched by the rampaging youths.

    Persons injured in the attacked are now receiving treatment at an emergency camp at Lampese, a neighboring community.

    A source said, “As I am talking to you, there is nobody in Bekuma-Okpameri. It was unbelievable. The youths have completely sacked the community and residents are now camped in Lampese.”

    Edo State Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, confirmed the incident and said a fact-finding police team has been sent to the community to arrest the perpetrators.

    Ezike added that the police held talks with the two traditional rulers.

  • Scores displaced as tension escalates in Ijaw, Urhobo clash

    Scores displaced as tension escalates in Ijaw, Urhobo clash

    Scores of residents in Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities in Udu and Warri Southwest Local Governments of Delta State have been displaced following last week’s clashes between the Urhobo and Ijaw.

    It was gathered that although normalcy seemed to have returned, many deserted the areas because of fear of reprisals.

    There were claims of looting and vandalism.

    Ogbe-Ijoh, headquarters of Warri Southwest, was attacked last week by irate youths from Aladja.

    They allegedly cut power supply to the town by felling three high tension poles. Traffic in and out of the town remained at its lowest ebb.

    A source, who spoke in confidence for security reasons, said: “Most of the people who left are yet to return; people want to be assured that their lives and property are safe before coming back home.

    “We still live in fear because the only road leading to Ogbe-Ijoh passes through Aladja. Although the road has not been opened, people are scared of what may befall them. So, what we do is to move in groups.”

    Despite the heavy military presence in both communities, it was gathered that homes of Ijaw indigenes in Aladja and neighbouring Urhobo towns were being plundered by suspected hoodlums.

    The First Vice President of Aladja, Pastor Kingsley Abala, told our reporter on phone that the violence followed the perceived inaction of the state government on the boundary dispute.

    He said: “They (the state government) should demarcate the boundary.”

    Abala called for continued military presence, adding: “The military should not leave us (warring communities) alone now. It is their presence that has ensured peace.”

    Also, it was gathered at Aladja that the fear of reprisal attacks still pervade the Urhobo neighbourhoods, especially near Ogbe-Ijoh.

    Many believed the state government is not doing enough to resolve these communal clashes.

    “There is no need to start setting up any committee; a commission of enquiry set up long ago has turned in its report. What is left now is for the implementation of the White Paper, which emanated from that committee.

    “The document recommended the creation of a green (buffer) zone. Why can’t the state government expedite action on this, instead of waiting for the next round of killing, to begin another round of motion without movement?” a source conceded.