From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
One person has been reportedly killed in the fresh crisis which erupted between Mbasombo and Mbaivur communities of Ikpayongo in Gwer East Local Government of Benue State.
An indigene of the area, who didn’t want to be named, told newsmen, yesterday, that an indigene of Mbaivur was killed by Mbasombo people, while he was working on his farm last Friday. He said after the incident, the people reported the case to the police and demanded that the perpetrators be arrested and brought to book within a given space of time.
The source said: “After two weeks and authorities were unable to produce the perpetrators, the Mbaivur people went on a reprisal.”
The source recalled that during the last crisis in 2022, “some people who died were still kept in the mortuary and were yet to be buried. It was said that since the Mbaivur people were sacked from their land, they have no place to bury their dead.
“So when this man was killed in his farm last Friday, the Mbaivur people removed the bodies of those killed last year from the mortuary, took them to their place for burial. It was during the burial, that those who killed the man came and started shooting sporadically.
“However, the people succeeded in burying the five people and after that, not satisfied with what happened, Mbaivur people came and attacked Mbasombo people, leading to the burning down of a market square. I wouldn’t know if there are casualties,” the witness said.
When contacted, the Benue State Police Command Public Relations’ Officer (PPRO), Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident, stating that several houses were burnt, but there were no casualties.
She said policemen were dispatched to the area to maintain peace and ensure the situation did not escalate.