No fewer than five persons have been killed in Aloko-Oguma in the Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State following a communal clash in the community on Friday morning.
The crisis also saw no fewer than 50 houses razed in what was described as a reprisal in a conflict between the Bassa Kwomu and the Igala over the harvest of cashew nuts on a piece of disputed land.
Our correspondent gathered that the Igala people claimed the Bassa Kwomu killed one of their members and buried him secretly without a trace of the grave.
The situation reportedly angered the Igala who mobilised themselves, killed five Bassa Kwomu people and razed down over 50 houses belonging to them.
It was gathered that the Igala people had deserted their homes as fears of reprisal by the Bassa Kwomu were palpable.
The Sole Administrator of the local government area, Samuel Alumka, and the House of Assembly member representing the area, Sunday Shigaba, visited the community on Friday.
They appealed to the warring factions to sheathe their swords and live in peace.
The appeal was made even as soldiers and policemen were drafted to the community to prevent further clashes.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, William Aya, who confirmed the incident, however, said only one old woman was killed in the fracas.
He also confirmed that a detachment of policemen and soldiers had been drafted to the area to maintain law and order.
Source: Punch
