By Emma Amaize, Egufe Yafugborhi and Akpokona Omafuaire

MANY persons sustained gunshot injuries and houses razed as fresh hostilities broke out yesterday evening, between Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities in Udu and Warri South West local government areas in Delta state. A source, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard, said: “It started at about 4.30 pm, soldiers came but could not stop the heavy gun battle. As at the time of writing this report, the skirmish continued. The communities have been fighting over a piece of land, not even more than one kilometer for many years now.”

An Ijaw youth leader said: “Aladia youths launched attack on Ogbe-Ijoh and Ogbe Ijoh people repelled the attack, and they advanced to Aladja on a counter-attack, there are casualties on both sides.” An Aladja youth, however, said: “It is Ogbe-Ijoh people that ignited the fighting; they set three houses ablaze in Aladja.” Gunshots boomed in the background as he spoke to one of our reporters on phone.

According to him, “Ogbe-Ijoh people came to attack us this evening, as speak with you we are repelling the attack. They burnt three houses as they took us unawares. “Now, it is fight to finish as we can no longer condone attack from the Ogbe-Ijoh people,” he added.

A police officer in the area told Saturday Vanguard that there had been persistent hostilities between the two communities in the past three days despite the fact that the governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, recently visited the area and set up a Panel of Inquiry, headed by Professor Abednego Ekoko to look into their grievances and proffer solution.

Reacting to the renewed hostilities, the Ohworode of Olomu kingdom and Chairman, Urhobo Traditional Rulers Council,  HRM, Ovie R. L. Ogbon, Ogoni-Oghoro I, said that it was unfortunate that the war refused to abate. He called on both communities to sheath their swords and heed to the advice given by the state government. The Ohworode advised that both communities adhere to the 1997 accord reached at the palace of the Orodje of Okpe.