By Emma Amaize
WARRI- ONE person was shot and wounded in another gun battle, Sunday evening, between Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities in Warri South-West and Udu Local Government Areas, Delta State.

Reports from the area said the clash took place between 7.48 pm- 7.55 pm at the boundary between the two warring communities.

Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Delta Command, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed there was an attack, but said mobile policemen deployed in the area repelled the aggression.

Aniamaka told Vanguard at about 6.56 am that the police have not established if somebody was actually shot and injured in the skirmish, but villagers reported the development, adding: “The incident occurred at the same bush boundary where somebody was beheaded last time.”

An Ogbe-Ijoh leader, who alleged that the incursion was from a neighbouring community, said: “The gunmen shot into Ogbe-Ijoh community and everybody was running helter-skelter, it was in the ensuing commotion that Felix Augustine was shot and wounded. He was taken to the hospital and a report was made to the police.”

He asserted: “It was the police that actually resisted the gunmen and quelled their incursion; otherwise, it would have been bloody.”

Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, last week, arrested nine leaders of Ogbe-Ijoh, Aladja and Isaba communities, who were remanded at the Ogwashi-Uku prison in a bid to stem the attacks.

Meanwhile, two leaders of the community, Chief Collins Emotonghan and Hon Mark Sibe, yesterday, said: “The unlawful arrest and kangaroo court remand order of our leaders in Ogwashi Uku prison were meant to intimidate Ijaw of Isaba and Ogbe-Ijoh communities.”

“The order of the state government was to arrest leaders of any community that will first launch attack on the other after its directive. It is on notice that Aladja attacked Isaba and beheaded Gabriel Sibe. Why were Isaba leaders arrested alongside Aladja leaders, instead of Aladja leaders alone?

“It is Aladja that is breaching the government order and not Isaba or Ogbe Ijoh, what offence has Isaba people, who are victims of Aladja invasion committee, they should release our leaders, and there is no legal ground to have arrested Isaba and Ogbe Ijoh leaders. The general arrest is an act of partiality and pursuit of Aladja agenda,” they said.