By Gabriel Enogholase

BENIN—TENSION yesterday, mounted in Koko, administrative headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, following a protest by youths of the community over the leadership of the community.

Hundreds of irate youths, who stormed the Divisional Police Office in Koko, allegedly attacked the executive members of Koko Community Management Authority, KCMA, led by its Secretary, Mr. Mimi Solomon, who had gone to the police station to perfect bail conditions for two elders of the community said to have been arrested on the order of a rival group.

During the attack, property worth several millions of naira was said to have been destroyed.

When journalists visited the community, yesterday, to assess the situation on ground, the KCMA Secretary who said he narrowly escaped death, disclosed that some members of KCMA were in critical condition,  following machete cuts inflicted on them and were receiving treatment at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital,  Oghara.

He alleged that armed youths in their hundreds assaulted them, in a bid to overthrow the leadership of  KCMA, lamenting that the youths stormed the Koko Police Station under the watchful eyes of police officers, who did nothing to prevent the attack.

He gave the names of two elders that were arrested and detained on the orders of the youths as  Papa Richmond Atsenuwa, aged 94, and Papa Emmanuel Kpenose. He accused the youths of trying to foment trouble in the community following the investigation of their alleged embezzlement of the community funds amounting to N567 million.