Many Feared Dead, Houses Burnt In Fresh Benue Communal Clash

• When contacted, the Council Chairman of Konshisha, James Ijirgba, also confirmed the fresh crisis.

Many people have been feared dead while scores of houses have been razed in a fresh communal crisis between Ochoro and Bonta communities of Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State, EKO HOT BLOG has gathered.

Sources disclosed that some Bonta militias allegedly attacked the Ochoro community and unleashed terror on the residents.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Ochoro community is mainly inhabited by the Igede people.

There has been a lingering land dispute between the residents of Bonta and Ukpute in the Konshisha and Oju Local Government Areas of the state, respectively.

The land dispute had culminated in a serious battle in March this year.

The crisis further led to the killing of 11 soldiers, who were on a peace mission on April 1.

However, a fresh crisis has again broken out between the two communities with no fewer than 50 houses reportedly razed in the crisis.

Witnesses from both sides of the warring communities disclosed that the fresh crisis broke out on Monday and escalated on Tuesday night.

A witness from Konshisha said the renewed crisis could be an offshoot of the age-long rift between Bonta and Ukpute.

“The lingering Bonta-Ukpute crisis escalated on Monday at Ochoro with Tiv militia attacking the community.

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“Over 30 women and kids massacred. And over 50 houses were razed. Ochoro is a neighbouring community of Bonta and Ukpute. It is a community in Oju that has no issue with neither Bonta nor the militia,” he said.

As gathered by EKO HOT BLOG, the fresh crisis was confirmed by the Chairman of Oju LGA, Clement Onaa.

The LG Chairman, while speaking to newsmen in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on Wednesday, said he was aware of the crisis, noting that he had called his Konshisha colleague to commiserate with him.

“The Tuesday attack was not in Oju but Konshisha, though, Ochoro community is dominated by Igede people One thing you must know is that Oju and Obi people who are of Igede live in Gwer East and even Konshisha LGAs or any other Tiv areas,” Onaa said.

When contacted, the Council Chairman of Konshisha, James Ijirgba, also confirmed the fresh crisis.

Meanwhile, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Catherine Anene, did not respond to calls put through her telephone.

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