Okpokwu Crisis: Three Feared Dead, Many Others Missing

Fresh reports from Okpokwu local government area of Benue State indicate that no fewer than three persons have been feared killed Monday night in a renewed violent communal clash between Okpoga and Edumoga districts in the local government.

Ollo community in Edumoga district and parts of Okpoga district in Okpokwu local government have been involved in communal clashes that have claimed many lives over the years.

As at the time of filing this report, the clear cause of the fresh attacks could not be ascertained but locals who spoke with Newsmen said the Okpoga people allegedly attacked Ollo village but were overpowered by the Ollo people which led to the death of the three members of the Okpoga community.

Contrary to the above claim, Mr. Igoche Adoba, a resident of Okpoga said the Ollo people attacked Okpoga Monday night and left three people dead in an unexpected attack that also left many others with different degrees of injuries amidst reports that dozens of others have also been declared missing.

In another report however, according to Comrade Tom Idoko, the Okpoga people denied attacking Ollo, but rather claim that it was Ollo that attacked Okpoga in retaliation of one Ollo man that was killed in Aidogodo, Okpoga, by suspected rival cult group about a fortnight ago.

All efforts to reach the local government chairperson, Hon. Amina Audu and Secretary of the local government, Hon. Emmanuel Pronto Ameh to speak to our correspondent over the incident proved abortive.

As at the time of this report, there is still tension and fears in the both communities as many residents have allegedly fled to neighboring communities to take refuge pending when normalcy would return to the two warring communities.