By Correspondent in Minna
No fewer than 3 persons have been reportedly killed while many others sustained various degrees of injury, due to communal clash between Boku and Doko communities in Lavun Local Government Area of Niger state.
The dispute according to finding by our Correspondent may not be unconnected with land dispute said to have lasted for well over 50 years between the two communities.
The online publication gathered that trouble erupted last Thursday and snowballed into Friday, when Doko people, said to have more numerical strength, launched attack on less populated Boku community, setting their houses, shops and grain stores, houses and barns on fire.
In the ensuing fight,vehicles and motorcycles belonging to Boku people were burnt while many livestock, including cows, goats, sheep and undisclosed sum of money, belonging to the people were allegedly looted by the invaders.
One of the residents of Boku, Malam Mohammed Alikali, who recounted his loses, told journalists that two persons died instantly while the third person with life threatening gun shot injuries later died at Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Bida.
We gathered that a store house belonging to Niger state chapter of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), located within the village, were also razed, including repay loans of over N2 million.
While Boku community are counting their loses, sources from the affected areas said the alleged leader of the attackers has not been arrested even when the incident had been reported to the police.
Alkali,who further disclosed that the two villages had been deserted and the villagers taking refuge in the neighboring villages, expressed concern that no government official and elected representatives had visited the area to sympathize with the affected communities.
The news platform also learnt that the Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, had made several efforts to resolve the matter but all to no avail.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Police Command in Niger State, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident and said, “normalcy has been restored to the troubled areas while investigation is ongoing,to arrest perpetuators for prosecution.”
