2 killed, 20 houses torched over land dispute

0 houses, including the house of the father of Governor Ben Ayade’s Chief Press Secretary, Christian Ita, were set ablaze yesterday in a resumed communal clash over land.

At least, two persons are believed to have been killed in the ongoing clash between Odukpani Qua Town and New Netim in Odukpani LGA.

The village head of New Netim, Ntufam Raphael Okpa Ita, was said to have fled in the heat of the clash early morning yesterday.

It was gathered that the two communities had disputes in the past over land.

According to witnesses who are indigenes, the clash started about 1am when people suspected to be hired cultists invaded the village of New Netim.

A witness said, “They left over 20 houses razed. They burnt several cars also. At least, two boys have been killed. Two others were shot but are alive. The origin of the problem is land. There is a dispute over ownership of land and the thing went to court and New Netim won in court. So the Odukpani Qua people are not happy. This is the second time in about 10 months. They did something like this in December last year.

“On the 24th of August this year, New Netim Council wrote to security chiefs alerting them that there was plan to attack them. The security chiefs called the two communities together and of course the Odukpani Qua people denied that there was such a plan. But look at what has happened now.”

Speaking to journalists, the State Security Adviser, Mr Jude Ngaji, said, “It started at about 1am to 1.30am and immediately we got the call, we deployed security men there, but by the time the men got there, the havoc had already been committed.”