at least 10 people were reportedly injured while 20 houses and 11 vehicles damaged as Ikenga Ogidi and Umusiome Nkpor communities, both in Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra state yesterday renewed hostility.
It was gathered also that properties worth millions of naira were looted including five motorcycles.
According to an eye witness the hoodlums numbering about 50 from Ogidi were said to be shooting sporadically into the air when they stormed the disputed land. which made the residents to take to their heels thereby giving way for looting.
Reacting to the incident, the Chairman of Dynamic Landlord Association Umusiome, Nkpor, Chief Humphrey Aghuna surrounded by other landlords and stakeholders including Chief Arthur Udoh, said that he was returning home when he noticed sporadic shooting, and on coming closer to his house, he saw some residents running helter skelter and he had to take cover somewhere until the arrival of the police and the army from 302 Artillery Regiment Onitsha.
“As I am talking with you now, I will not be able to give account of what is the bone of contention, but with the houses destroyed, vehicles damaged and people wounded government should come to our rescue and build a police post here.
“We are just people who bought land here in Umusiome, we do not have any business with Ikenga Ogidi people, they have even collected money from us in the past claiming they are youth that must be settled and yet they cannot allow us to live here peacefully, government should come and save us here”.
In his reaction, the President General of Ogidi Union Nigeria, Chief Chuka Onubuogu said that the supreme court Judgment should be obeyed and attributed the crisis to the activities of land grabbers and gangsters from both communities.
Contacted, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, in charge of Ogidi Police Division, Mr. Hassan Musa confirmed the incident and advised both community to abide by Judgment of the Supreme Court over the boundary demarcation between the duo and the decision of the National Boundary Commission the who have done the demarcation.
He said “the Supreme Court and the National Boundary Commission have given their verdict on boundary between the two communities, it is criminal for anybody to jump over the boundary demarcation and start selling or claiming land that does not fall into his area, we warn those doing that to stop or face the wrath of the law.”
“I slept there yesterday with my men to ensure protection of lives and properties and to ensure that there is no further shooting of people and carting away and destruction of their properties, however no arrest have been made but we are still investigating the matter.
Some of the residents who were packing away from the area with the remains of their property, namely Chigozie Ajaero, Mrs Blessing Nwachukwu, Pastor Ethelbert Chukwurah and Mrs. Ezinwa Anusionwu said that the place is becoming too hot for them to continue to stay, our life is no more guaranteed here.
The Umusiome community has been at the receiving end over land demarcation dispute, government should come to our rescue. Pix 1 show one of the houses destroyed on the verge of collapsing
Pix 2 show some residents loading their property on their way of packing out of Umusiome.
Pix two vehicles destroyed in the compound of a native doctor, Mr Echieme Nnamdi for not settling the hoodlums.
Pix 4 and 5 show a building fence destroyed by the hoodlums after previously collecting N200.000 from the owner to allow him carry out the project.