About 18 people were feared killed and several houses razed during a renewed Bassa-Igburra crisis in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The two ethnic groups have been fighting over land ownership and fish ponds for a long period of time until the intervention of Governor Yahaya Bello administration.
BusinessDay gathered that the renewed hostility cropped up on Monday, May 30, when two people believed to be of Bassa ethnic nationality were allegedly killed on a farm at Uga-Cheure near Oguma, the headquarters of the council and Korumu near Udogbo.
Bassa people believed the killing was masterminded by Igburra Mozum because of the existing hostility between the two ethnic groups, Bassa people reported the incident to the divisional police post at Oguma.
On Thursday evening, another two Bassa people were allegedly killed on a farm in Sheria and Korumu near Odugbo. Like the Monday killing, attackers were also not dentified.
BusinessDay also learnt that in a suspected reprisal, unidentified gunmen invaded Odugbo town, a predominantly settlement of Igbura-Mozum people on Friday morning, burning houses and killing locals. The hostility continued in the early hours of Saturday June 4 with burning of houses by the gunmen.
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According to a community leader in Bassa, Keke Kaku, the police and the army stationed at Oguma swung into
action to quell the crisis. He said: “By Saturday morning, both the police and a detachment of the army moved to Udogbo town to repel the invading gunmen.” However, he said that since the crisis started on Monday six Igbura-Mozum people had been killed by gunmen in
the community.
A source also claimed that not less than 18 people had lost their lives from both sides since the crisis started on Monday while properties worth millions of naira were burnt.
A member representing the Bassa Constituency at the Kogi State House of Assembly, Ranyi Daniya, called on the people of Bassa to maintain peace, as he urged security agents to leave no stone unturned in arresting the perpetrators of the act.
When contacted, the state command’s Police Public Relation Officer, William Aya confirmed the incident, saying the situation was already under control.
Aya also said the military and police had been sent to the area to restore law and order, but the authorities denied casualties.
