Communal clash: Death troll hits 20 as Benue, C’River communities fight over farmland

Twenty or more people are thought to have died in Sunday’s rekindled fighting between the Yache-Ijiegu village in Yala LGA, Cross River State, and Tiv settlers from Benue State, over unresolved boundary disputes.

Although the precise number of casualties is unknown, it is anticipated that women and children would make up a larger proportion.

The DAILY POST learned that there are a lot of people who have reportedly been cut with machetes and have received gunshot wounds of varying degrees.

Multiple sources said that more homes on both sides had been set on fire.

According to Augustine Odey, a source in Yache, fighting broke out again on Thursday afternoon when their son, Ayeku Godwin Ochuole, went to his farm and was ambushed and killed by Tiv attackers.

He said that at least nine more people who had been shot in varying degrees were kidnapped as a result of the incident.

The Tiv settlers are said to have refused to continue paying royalties for their stay on Yache territories, which sparked the violent boundary conflicts approximately two months ago.

The Tiv immigrants have maintained that, having lived there for more than a century, intermarried, and acquired estates, they are forced to extort money from the natives and have nowhere else to call home.

Leaders of the Tiv people, such as Mr. Jacob Uswa, who asserted he was born 54 years ago and was raised as a chief on the land following his father’s death, stated the Yache youths have persisted in unleashing unexpected attacks from the bushes, murdering members of their own community.

“We can’t fold our arms and watch them continue to exterminate our people. We have to defend ourselves. They usually hide in the bushes to launch attacks. This is also our land. We are also from Cross River State,” he claimed

‘My father and his own father lived in this community for over 100 years. And I have lived here for over 50 years.

“I am surprised to hear from Yache people that we are not from here.

“We are indigenes of Cross River State, not Benue State. Despite this, we had succumbed to obeying their demands to pay royalties on lands and houses.”

According to him, it was the Yache boys who came to collect royalties that sparked the fight in July 2023, which has continued unabated despite government interventions and presence of the military.

Augustine Odey, a youth leader in Yache has blamed the governments of both states for being idle over the renewed killings and insecurity in Yache.

He also alleged that apart from the soldiers sent to keep the peace, they have proofs that other ‘armed soldiers’ moved with the Tiv settlers to unleash mayhem against them.

“The Cross River State and Benue State governments have continued to act like toothless bulldogs, allowing their citizens to die in a crisis they should have put an end to.

“The latest of the attacks resumed on Thursday through Sunday when the Tiv people of Benue State, accompanied by the military, successfully penetrated the Ijiegu-Yache Community and shot at Ijiegu people who went to farm. This resulted in the gruesome killing of an indigene of Ijiegu-Yache.”

Reacting, one of the commanders of the security team, who gave his name as Lt. Alex as well as Lt. H. J. Enoibor, explained that they have tried their best to ensure peace return to Yache but,

“Yache boys constantly indulge in attacks. The Tivs have listened to us by restraining.

“They killed one of my men yesterday, and I had to frown at it. The Yache boys would even move to the other side of Benue State, where soldiers are also keeping watch to attack.

“They have made our peace efforts difficult. We had thought we wouldn’t be here up to two weeks, but it’s going to months now. They should know that war is not good at all. Yache cannot withstand the Tivs.

“We have scheduled to hold a joint peace meeting with all stakeholders on Wednesday, hoping that it will finally bring about an amicable settlement.”

Daily Post