No fewer than 10 houses were burnt in a communal clash between Okpekpe and Imiegba communities of Etsako East Local Government area of Edo on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the clash followed argument over the ownership of a land where large deposit of laterite was found by a construction firm handling road project in the area.

NAN learnt that the land is the boundary between Imiegba and Okpekpe communities and they were contesting which of the communities would collect the royalties for the land from the firm.

Imiegba said the land was their ancestral land with some of their people still occupying it, while the Okpekpe community claimed that the land belonged to them.

Residents have fled the area and no life was lost.

The people of Okpekpe could not be reached for comments as there were still sounds of gun in the community.

The Area Commander of Police in Auchi, Mr Gabriel Haruna, confirmed the incident and told NAN that the situation had been brought under control.

According to him, officers of the command have been stationed there to keep things under control.

“The problem is all about land issue and we have detailed men to keep watch in the warring communities.’’

Meanwhile, a member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abubakar Momoh, representing Etsako Federal Constituency, has decried the clash and promised to ensure that issue was brought under control.

NAN reports that the construction firm has left site for fear of being attacked. (NAN)