An elderly man, Pa Williams Amuawosa, has allegedly been killed during a land dispute between the Benin and the Ijaw, in Edo State.
It was gathered that the deceased was attacked in Obazuwa community, in the Ovia North East Local Government Area of the state, over the disputed area called Ikoro while the Odionwere (eldest man in the community), Pa Agidi Roland, was injured.
According to PUNCH, a short video clip of the incident showed burnt buildings, a vehicle and carcasses of animals, as the video recorder accused the Ijaw of carrying out the attack.
“Look at what the Ijaw have done to us in Obazuwa. They say they are the owners of this land in Benin; we don’t know what we have done to them. They came in through the waterside and started shooting at people, destroyed and burnt their houses.
“They have been disturbing us for a long time. We want the state government and the Federal Government to come to our rescue,” he said.
The Chairman, Ijaw Youth Council, Olodiama clan, Samuel Ebiwana, however, denied the allegation, even as he claimed that three members of the Ijaw community were missing.
Ebiwana said, “We are not aware of what they are saying. We did not attack them. They are the people that attacked us. As I speak to you, three of our youths are still missing.”
The President, Benin Solidarity Movement, Curtis Ugbo, condemned the attack and called on the Edo State Government and security agencies to investigate it.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Kontongs Bello, said he had yet to get a detailed briefing from the Divisional Police Officer in the area and could not comment on the clash.
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