Again, six killed as Benue communities clash

Six people were reportedly feared killed and several houses burnt in a renewed communal clash between the Bonga community in Konshisha and the Ukpute community in Oju Local Government Areas of Benue State on Sunday.

Among the houses burnt was a Church.

The two local government areas were last week engaged in a crisis over land matters leading to the death of two people.

Our correspondent gathered that the Sunday crisis occurred a day after a peace meeting was held between the warring communities at Tse Agbaragba, headquarters of  Konshisha Local Government.

The militia who were said to have come from the Konshisha council area attacked other communities which include; Ima, Ochoro, Ekinyo, and Agbada-Ichwo all located around the boundary between the two local government areas.

It was further gathered that the attackers came into the affected communities dressed in soldiers’ uniforms.

An indigene of Ukpute community in Oju Local Government Area who spoke to our correspondent on phone and simply identified himself as Onah said the invaders destroyed two markets, several shops and looted goods worth millions of naira, while over 3,000 women and children have been displaced.

He said, “over  15 communities in Oju living along the bounder we’re attacked by Bonda militias from Konshisha Local Government Area of the state.

“We live in perpetual fear with these people. They launch attacks on our communities at will. Imagine, some stakeholders from our communities in Oju Local Government Area attended a peace meeting with the Bonda community in Konshisha Local Government Area of the state.

“The meeting was held at Tse Agbaragba headquarters of Konshisha Local Government on Saturday to find solutions to the issue of land causing the crisis.

“But Sunday at 3:30 pm, we saw some people with army uniform, we thought that they were people coming to render peace, only for them to start burning our houses and shooting people. Punch