Delta state Chairman of the Association of Local Government Of Nigeria (ALGON), Sir Itiako Constantine Ikpokpo has said that the riot act has been read to the two warring communities in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Ikpokpo, who doubles as Chairman of Isoko South LGA said that a strong caution was given to the communities represented by their President Generals and other stakeholders during an emergency security meeting held at the council secretariat and witness by the state Commissioner of Police and other top brass of security agency within the locality.
Bigpenreports recalls that an orgy of violence had broken out on Thursday between Igbide and Okpolo-Enwhe communities in the council area over a disputed parcel of land, leading to lose of lives and destruction of properties worth millions of naira.
It could also be recalled that during the skimishes, the council chairman who was on his way to the communities to broker peace was also attacked but narrowly escaped death when armed youths ambushed his convoy and macheted his driver after vandalising and stealing valuables from the car.
Ikpokpo told our correspondent in a telephone conversation on Sunday evening that a stern warning was given during the meeting to the communities and community leaders to caution their youths saying that anyone who breach the security would be dealt with.
"I called a stakeholders’ meeting of people of the two communities. The Commissioner of Police was coincidentally present because we all later went to the scene of crime. The Area Command and other top brass of security agents were present.The President Generals of both communities, youths leaders of both side and President General of Isoko Umbrella body, IDU, High-Chief Iduh Amedhe was also present. The two communities all agreed to sheath their swords and we gave them a charge.
"We gave them a very stern warning because security agents are now in red alert. We charged the communities leaders to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act within two weeks. And that henceforth the leaders will be held responsible because most of the youths who forment trouble and take laws into their hand leaves within the communities and the leaders knows them.
"Besides, we asked them to stay away from the disputed land. We don't want to see any encumbrance on the land, all signposts must be remove and nobody within the two communities should enter the land till we amicably resolve the matter.
He said that to further strengthen the security in the area and ensure law and order, a dawn to dusk curfew have been impose on the two feuding communities adding that a synergy was also created between the community leaders and security agency to enable security operatives gather more intelligence about the crisis.
Ikpokpo added that a fact finding committee headed by the IDU President General was also constituted to come out with the immediate and remote cause of the land dispute which he said have spanned over 50 years.
He said that he didn't want to comment about the personal attack on him because his main concern was how to resolve the age-long dispute so that it doesn't degenerate now or resurrect again in a later year.
While saying that it is unfortunate that the two neighbouring communities have been at dagger posture over the parcel of land, Ikpokpo expressed optimism that with the manner the council was going about the matter, the dispute would be resolve once and for all.
