At least seven persons were feared killed in a suspected communal clash between Oleh and Ozoro communities in Isoko South and North council areas of Delta state.
It was learnt the incident, which occurred between Thursday and early hours of Friday, October 16, 2020, saw several others injured.
The casualties and other victims were reported to be from both communities.
Sources claimed the communal crisis was as a result of the lingering boundary dispute between both communities.
Oleh and Ozoro communities are power seats of the respective Local Governments of Isokoland.
While Oleh is host to the Faculty of Law and Engineering campuses of the Delta State University, DELSU, one of the Delta State Polytechnics seats in Ozoro.
Iduh Amadhe, the president general of Isoko Development Union, apex socio-cultural body of the Isoko people, told The Nation it remained unclear if it was a communal clash, urging for calm in the areas.
“I cannot confirm exactly what has happened but the police and security agents have been asked to visit the bush and come out with the current situation. That is what we have decided to do.
“But there was no issue of clash that Oleh and Ozoro people are fighting. The information just came that some people were killed in the bush and all that.
“So we cannot disseminate such information when we have not gotten the true report. That is the situation.
When contacted, Delta Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Onome Onovwakpoyeya, confirmed a conflict between both communities had left an uncertain number of persons dead.
“Yes, a communal crisis. So we heard (that seven persons were killed) but we have not been able to ascertain”.
She added security operatives were being deployed to “check what actually happened.”
