No fewer than 20 houses and market square were Tuesday morning touched in a renewed fighting between Mbasombo and Mbaivur communities of Ikpayongo in Gwer East local government area of Benue State.
The Mbasombo and Mbaivur communities’ dispute has lingered for more than two years defying all efforts by government, stakeholders and non-governmental organisations to resolve it.
An indigene in the area who pleaded anonymity told Blueprint on phone Tuesday that an indigene of Mbaivur was killed by Mbasombo people while he was working on his farm last Friday, a situation that sparked the crisis.
According to him, after after the incident, the people demanded that the perpetrators be brought to book and gave a timeline within which if the perpetrators were not found they would retaliate.
He further said since Mbasombo could not produce the perpetrators after the ultimatum given had elapsed, the Mbaivur people went on reprisal attack, even when the Police were involved.
He noted that the attack coincided with the burial of some persons earlier killed in the crisis.
“Some people died during this crisis and they were kept in the mortuary and when this man was killed in his farm, last Friday, they removed the corpses from the mortuary.
“It was during their burial that those who killed the man came and started shooting sporadically.
However, the people succeeded in burying the five persons 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 don’t know yet if there are casualties”, the witness said.
When contacted Benue State Police Command Public Relations Officer, SP Catherine Sewuese Anene confirmed the incident, stating that several houses were burnt but there were no casualties.
Market square, over 20 houses razed in Benue communal clash
