In a renewed conflict between the Mbasombo and Mbaivur communities of Ikpayongo in Benue State’s Gwer East local government area, one person has reportedly been killed and several houses have been set on fire.
The longstanding feud between the two communities escalated recently following the murder of a young man on his farm. Reports indicate that the Mbaivur community, seeking retribution for the killing of their son, launched an attack on the Mbasombo community early on Tuesday. This attack resulted in the destruction of numerous homes.
An anonymous resident from the Mbaivur community confirmed the attack and revealed that the Mbaivur people had demanded the apprehension of the culprits responsible for their son’s death within 48 hours. As of Tuesday morning, the Mbasombo community had not been able to produce the perpetrators, leading to the reprisal attack.
The eyewitness also mentioned that prior to the killing of the young farmer, five Mbaivur individuals had already lost their lives. These bodies were initially placed in the mortuary but were removed and buried by the Mbaivur community after the recent incident.
According to the eyewitness, the Mbaivur community’s revenge attack on Tuesday resulted in the destruction of a market square and several homes.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident and stated that numerous houses were burnt down but no casualties were reported. She further mentioned that the police have been deployed to the area to restore peace.
