3 killed, many injured as bloody communal clash rocks Delta

Delta Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Edafe Bright,

3 killed, many injured as bloody communal clash rocks Delta

Three persons have reportedly died and many others injured and houses set ablaze following a bloody clash between Okuama community in the Ughelli South Local Government Area and Okoloba community in the Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta state.

The bloody clash which started since Thursday, it was gathered, has left so many residents homeless when yet-to-be-identified armed men in military uniforms allegedly invaded Okuama community in the early hours of Thursday shooting sporadically from a gunboat.

Speaking on the incident, the vice present general of the Okuama community, David Akata, confirmed that unknown gunmen arrived in the community at about 8am and started shooting sporadically at anyone in sight leaving three indigenes dead and several others injured.

The injured are currently receiving medication in an undisclosed hospital in the state, he said.

According to Akata, “The armed men carried out the genocide on the citizens of the community by setting their buildings and properties ablaze with chanting of war songs.

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“We woke up to see our community surrounded with men in military uniform numbering in their tens and without just no reason they started shooting at sight leading to the death of three promising youths of the community and several others injured from gun bullets. The same military men repeated their genocide actions on the innocent and law-abiding citizens of the Okuama community on Friday, March 15, 2024, leaving many buildings to their rumbles as they carried offensive arson on the community buildings.

“As I speak, the number of persons who died in the barbaric attack could not be ascertained as many of the aged men, women, and youths fled into the nearby bushes and, and we suspect that some women and children might have drowned in the river because many ran into the river out of panic. This is disheartening that the Delta State government and security operatives in the state with a lackadaisical approach have not been able to quell the crisis between the two communities. We entered a peace accord with the state government and security operative in the state.

“We stand by the accord but often times the Okoloba people harassed our people by assaulting them, and our pleas on the state government to expedite action and called the Okolobians to order fell on deaf ears allowing the Okoloba community people to use their mercenaries military uniforms and bandits to kill our people”.

The two communities had on January 27, 2024, locked horns, leading to the death of three of persons identified as, Igho Meshack, Godspower Awusa and Okiemute Agbabuleke.

As of the time of filing this report, all efforts to reach the Commanding Officer of 3 Battalion, Effurun and Commanding Officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion, Agbor, Delta State for comments proved abortive.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Delta state command, Asaba, SP Bright Edafe said he has not been formally briefed about the situation and could not make comments.