Land Dispute: Police Avert Bloody Clash In Enugu Communities

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Friday, November 24th, 2017

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – What could have degenerated into a bloody clash between two communities in Enugu State, southeast Nigeria, was on Thursday averted by the Police.

Youths of the areas, namely, Ikolo and Aku in Igbo Etiti Local Government Area of the state had already engaged themselves in a war over a land dispute before the police intervention.

The Enugu state police spokesman, Ebere Amarizu, who disclosed this to African Examiner in Enugu Friday,said “Police operatives prevented on November 23 what would have resulted into a full scale war and killings’’ between Ikolo and Aku communities in Igbo Etiti Local Government Area.

The communities had “engaged themselves in a conduct likely to cause the breach of peace in the morning hours

According to him, “Ikolo youths destroyed some houses in Aku communities while youths in Aku equally destroyed some houses in Ikolo communities.

“Sources disclosed that the issue revolves around land dispute between the two communities of Igbo-etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State.

“But for the timely and prompt intervention of the command led by the Area Commander Nsukka, Mr Steve Yabanet and Divisional Police Officer of Igbo-etiti acting on the directives of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Danmallam, prevented its escalations, possible loss of lives and further destruction of properties.

“There was no loss of lives recorded even as the disruption of peace lasted for some hours’’.

Amarizu, said that “normalcy had been restored to the area as security had been already beefed up in the communities.

“However, the leaders of the communities including the youth leaders are being engaged for a lasting peace and resolution of the misunderstanding between the two communities,’’ the Command Spike’s man stated,.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Danmallam has warned youths of the two communities to be law abiding and never to take laws into their hands as “two wrongs can never make a right’’.