At least five persons were feared dead yesterday through machete cuts in an inter communal land dispute between Akenfa and Agudama- Epie communities in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. The five
persons killed were said to be on the disputed land when they were attacked. Already, one of the corpses had been recovered, while the others were still in the bush as at press time. All the victims are said to be indigenes of Agudama-Epie. About five other youths, who sustained machete cuts, are currently receiving medical treatment in an undisclosed hospital in the state capital.
The situation triggered an open fight among youths of both communities as schools and business premises in the area were abruptly shut down.
However, there are fears of reprisals from the kinsmen of the deceased while left residents all gripped with fear. Security was immediately beefed up at the Yenagoa Campus of the Nigerian Law School and the headquarters of the Central Naval Command all located at Agudama- Epie. Saturday Mirror was reliably informed that the intervention of the state security outfit, "Operation Doo Akpor" quelled the tensed situation.
It was gathered that the lingering land dispute had generated frosty relations between Akenfa and Agudama- Epie communities in the past.
A top security source in the state alleged that government had been complacent on the dispute between both communities, as he appealed that government should take over the disputed land to enable peace reign in the area.
When contacted, Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, Alex Akhigbe, confirmed that there were casualties, but could not give the exact figure. Akhigbe said a team of policemen deployed to the scene of the fight, had put it under control.
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