…as Okowa’s peace effort fails

The move by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to quell the lingering boundary dispute between Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities in the Udu and Warri South-West local government areas, seems to have failed following renew clash on Thursday with four persons sustaining gunshot injuries and houses burnt.

Governor IOkowa and top security chiefs in Delta State held met with traditional rulers and representatives of two communities Wednesday at the Government House Annex, Warri, where leaders from the two warring communities agreed to maintain the peace while awaiting the release of the result of the panel set up to look into the boundary dispute.

ADVOCATE gathered that apart from four persons who sustained injuries in the clash, four houses were allegedly razed in Aladja, an Urhobo community in Udu, by some Ogbe-Ijoh youths from an Ijaw community in Warri, with residents displaced.

According to a youth leader in Aladja, Mr Wisdom Onotomre, youths from Ogbe-Ijoh allegedly stormed Aladja and began shooting into the community, while also setting some houses ablaze at about 5am on Thursday.

He added that; “the unprovoked attack on our community started at about 5am today (Thursday); by Ogbe-Ijoh people, they burnt four houses. Two people from my community were severely injured and many other displaced.”

However, Ogbe-Ijoh youth president, Mr. Edwin Aken, said the Thursday attack was a reprisal for an earlier attack on Aladja people, adding that two persons were injured.

Aken added, “It is wrong to say that Ogbe-Ijoh people attacked Aladja. They were the ones who attacked Ogbe-Ijoh earlier this morning. Nobody will fold his arms and watch when they are coming to kill him. So it was in retaliation to what they did Ogbe-Ijoh youths hit back. They attacked us first.

The spokesman for the Delta State Police Command, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, while confirming the renewed hostilities between both communities, said the command had restored peace to the area.

(Punch)