2 Killed, 40 houses razed, as 2 communities clash over mango in Edo

FROM TONY OSAUZO, BENIN

A clash between Uneme- Ekpedo and Bekuma- Okpameri communities in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State over mango, has re­portedly left two people dead.

Trouble was said to have started on Wednes­day, when one out of four people from Uneme- Ekpedo community, who had gone to the bush to pluck mangoes, was killed by persons sus­pected to be members of Bekuma-Opkamere after an attack.

Consequently, youths from Uneme-Ekpedo community were said to have mobilised and at­tacked Bekuma-Okpa­meri, setting houses on fire and attacking resi­dents.

It was learnt that over 40 houses, including the palace of the Oba of Be­kuma-Okpameri, HRH Oba Moses Alabi, were set on fire, while scores of people, who were wounded are now receiv­ing medical treatment at hospitals.

Witnesses said, follow­ing the clash, residents of Bekuma-Okpameri have fled their community and are now camped at a makeshift for Internally Displaced Person (IDP) in Lampese in the same local government.

“As I’m talking to you now, there is nobody in Bekuma-Okpameri. It was unbelievable. The youths have completely sacked the community and resi­dents are now camped in Lampese,” a member of a fact-finding team sent to the communities said.

It was further learnt that the persons who commit­ted the crime that led to the arson on the Bekuma-Ok­pameri were neither from the community nor from Uneme-Ekpedo.

Confirming the inci­dent, Edo State Commis­sioner of Police, Chris Ezike, said five police teams have been dis­patched to the affected communities to unravel the cause of the trouble and to arrest the perpetra­tors.