Communal clash claims one as houses, foodstuffs destroyed in Benue

By Aboje Anefu, Makurdi

Fresh crisis between two communities: Mbakume and Mbasombo in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State, Thursday, has led to the death of one person while several houses were burnt.

An eye witness also disclosed to ROYAL NEWS that Tse-Tsuwe in Mbasombo vicinity had been completely razed by arsonists who also torched the house of a retired police officer, known as, Yõnov Agber and burnt his foodstuffs.

According to other witnesses, several houses were also burnt in the renewed crisis.

“As we speak, shooting is still ongoing. I can’t really figure out what exactly triggered this fresh fight,” one of the witnesses alleged.

It was further learnt that many inhabitants have fled the affected rural communities.

Meanwhile, the renewed hostility among the villagers was despite past several intervention by the state government and security agencies to restore peace in the area.

Recall that in 2020, Governor Samuel Ortom, suspended five traditional rulers from Tiv area of the state for their alleged complicity in land related disputes in their domains.

The suspension had included two district heads from the areas currently in dispute over communal disagreement in their domains where several lives have been lost as the villagers continued to engaged themselves over alleged land disputes.

The state police spokesperson, SP Catherine Anene, confirmed the fresh hostility between Mbakume and Mbasombo people but said the details were yet sketchy as operatives sent to the troubled area hadn’t returned with their findings.