A fresh clash over a lingering boundary dispute between Enwan and Akuku communities in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State has left 12 people dead and 18 others hospitalised with various degrees of injury.
The clash, which started on Tuesday, continued on Wednesday. But the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Peter Ogboi, told the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday that one person was killed while another had been declared missing, just as 15 persons had been arrested in connection with the clash.
There were conflicting stories on what might have triggered the latest violent clash. One version traced it to opposition by members of the Akuku community to the alleged arrest of six of their elders by members of the state Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The anti-crime squad was said to have been detailed to go and fish out persons in Akuku who were allegedly responsible for the killing of five persons from Enwan in those earlier clash between the two communities.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that unknown to the people of Akuku who had gone to the police station to report the arrest of some of their elders, it was even the police area commander who was said to have ordered the action being carried out by the men of the SARS.
One person from Akuku community reportedly died in a shooting by the policemen who came for the arrest while several others were said to have sustained injuries.