The Okumagbe of Weppa-Wanno Kingdom, His Royal Highness Omoaze Oshoapi, has sued for peace in Iviukwe and Iviegbepui communities located at Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo state.
The Traditional Ruler urged Iviukwe community in particular to remain calm and not retaliate and take laws into their own hands.
His majesty who assured Iviukwe community of security personnel as investigation continues summoned the leaders of Iviegbepui community over alleged acts.
The communities were drawn against each other over the location of the proposed N300 billion Aliko Dangote fertiliser plant.
The attack had left many people dead and others with severe injuries. While the Iviukwe community was then deserted, the villagers fled to an unknown destination for safety.
Edo State police command, then, confirmed the killing which he said claimed 10 lives in renewed hostility.
According to eye witness account, the incident then, led to destruction of landed properties worth millions of naira.
Also, buildings and cars in the area reportedly wandered around the communities in search for their missing relatives.
Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO Edo State Command, DSP Moses Eguavoen, while confirming the development, said the police was prepared to forestall law and order in the area.
“We are aware of the misunderstanding between the two communities Iviegbepui and iviukwe in Etsako East Local Government Area. When we arrived at the scene, we discovered that some houses were razed by fire orchestrated by the invading Iviegbepui people”, he said.
The PPRO who maintained that the command was yet to make any arrest added that it has commenced investigation into the incident. He however promised that the perpetrators will be brought to book .
Mr. Aleakwe Imoghemhe, a residence of Iviukwe community disclosed that several young men and women sustained different degrees of injuries and that 10 people lost their lives. According to him, the number of missing people were not ascertained.
“Iviegbepui youth attacked us last night while we were all asleep. They burnt down these houses (pointing to the razed houses). They injured so many people and a lot of people are still missing as I am talking to you.
“Iviukwe community has lost 10 persons, I can confirm that to you. A woman, one Man, three girls and five boys. The attack is as a result of dangote`s fertiliser factory he moved from their community to our own community (iviukwe),& he said.
An official of the Dangote Company, who pleading anonymity, earlier told our correspondent that the company only relocated to Iviukwe because of ‘failed soil test’ at the earlier propose site at Iviegbepui.
The village head of Iviukwe, Chief Patrick Okega, said: “My community has not been at peace since February 11th, 2014 when this project ‘Fertilizer Plant’ was relocated to my community when the people of Iviegbepui invaded us the next day which was February 12, 2014 for the first time. The second one happened this month April 4th, 2014 when the people of Iviegbepui community came again to destroy many houses here and many of our people sustain injuries even many of my youths have fled out of this community of which they are nowhere to be found yet, they have also came to set Traditional sacrifices on the site in question on several occasions but we removed the sacrifices by ourselves just to maintain peace.
“But now whatever my community youths leader and the youths may decide to embark on a revenge mission, I will not stop them this time. I can no longer tolerate these mess because the only money we have received from the company is N160 million which was for the destroyed crops from the land we gave out as the only condition we gave them.”
