●Ex-Anambra CJ wounded, 2 beheaded
Six persons, including a policeman, were killed and over 20 buildings razed following clashes between Anaku and Omor communities in the Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State in the early hours of Sunday.
While sources from Anaku alleged that six persons were killed and over 20 buildings razed in their community, another source from Omor said that many buildings were razed on their side.
The house of the former Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Christian Madubuko, was among the ones razed in Anaku while the former Chief Judge of the state, Justice Paul Obidigwe, who hails from Omor was attacked on his way home.
As at the time of filing this report, there were conflicting reports, claims and counterclaims over the ugly incidents which consumed lives and property in the two neighbouring communities.
A source said that the bloody encounter was a fallout of a renewed land dispute between the communities. He said that the land dispute, which rears up its head every farming season, started over 10 years ago.
“What caused this latest problem is that our people who went to their farm for rice cultivation were chased back by Omor people and their farming tools taken away from them last Friday.
“In the early hours of today (Sunday), Omor people numbering over 2,000 invaded Anaku. Many houses, I mean beautiful houses, were razed in Anaku. A limousine belonging to one of my cousins was burnt and his house was also razed.
“They killed so many people in our community. We don’t know the exact number yet because we are still counting. They also killed many domestic animals and burnt a secondary school, Ogbe High School.
“Two of the six persons were beheaded. A policeman known as Nnanwa was also killed.
The traditional ruler of Omor, Igwe Oranu Chidume, blamed hoodlums for the violence that erupted in the areas. He said that many buildings were razed in his community.
“The report I got was that hoodlums blocked the road yesterday and were attacking the people of Omor. They attacked the former Chief Judge of the state and gave him a deep machete cut and collected his phone.
“Police later helped to recover the phone. We also learnt that the same hoodlums came into Omor and demolished some buildings. And it was an attempt to repel them that the entire situation escalated”,
the monarch narrated.
Igwe Chidume made it clear that the two communities were not fighting as they are brothers and as such, have no reason to fight one another. He said that efforts were being made to restore peace in the troubled zone.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed the incident saying that the Commissioner of Police, Chris Owolabi, had gone to the scene with a message of peace.
