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Land Disputes; One Killed, Several Injured In Community Clash.
Bayelsa Govt Condemns Use of Violence.
A 46 year old man, ThankGod Odede, from Opolo Community, in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, was yesterday macheted to death and several persons injured by some individuals from Okutukutu.
The attack which has thrown Opolo Community into pandemonium occurred at about 1100hrs on Monday.
It was said that the both communities have been in loggerhead over the said land, as they both claim ownership of the land.
While narrating the ordeal a youth from Opolo Community who pleaded annomity said ” Okutukutu people came to attack our community, killed one ThankGod Odede in his house with machetes and living several persons injured in our land.Okutukutu don’t have a land there, they came across the community which is also our land and attack our people.
“The night before this day, they came and attacked someone not knowing that they were still around, right now the community is upside down, people are not happy, anything can happen at anytime, if we did not revenge our mind will not rest, they have been doing this thing for a long time, police people are everywhere now.”
Meanwhile the Bayelsa State Government has Condemned the use of violence In land disputes, urges Opolo, Okutukutu Communities to Shield Swords
The State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement issued by his media aide, Mr Doubara Atasi, on Monday, roundly condemned the attack and directed relevant security agencies to fish out the perpetrators for prosecution.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo warned that the present administration would not condone a situation where individuals or communities resort to violence and physical attacks over territorial or land boundary disputes, more so when such matters are pending in the law court of competent jurisdiction.
He, therefore, called on Opolo, and its neighbouring communities particularly Okutukutu to refrain from taking any further action liable to bring about breakdown of law and order in the area.
The Deputy Governor urged the feuding communities to shield their swords as the state government is taking every necessary step to resolve the issue, including an emergency meeting with leadership of the affected communities in his office by 3pm on Tuesday the 20th
of February, 2024.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo expressed deep regrets over the loss of lives and property from the incident, and assured the bereaved families that government would do everything within its powers to ensure that justice was served.
