Opolo and Okutukutu communities in Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, descended into violence on Monday over a land dispute, resulting in the loss of two lives.
The clash, which erupted between the youths of the neighboring communities located in the heart of the state capital, escalated into a communal conflict over the ancestral boundaries of their communal land.
The unrest also led to the destruction of property belonging to non-indigenes in the area.
Anonymous sources from Opolo expressed their dismay, emphasizing that the communities had coexisted peacefully for many years. They attributed the recent tensions to increased development in the area, spurred by Yenagoa being the state capital. This development has attracted property developers, creating challenges in identifying ancestral boundaries between the two communities.
The youth president of the Okutukutu Community, Kester Wilcox, shared his perspective with the Nigerian Tribune, stating “What really happened is that this afternoon, I got a call that youths of Opolo Community are destroying houses belonging to Okutukutu Community.”
He continued, “Since it happened in Okutukutu, they will always say it was Okutukutu people that caused the problem, but it was strangers whose property we’re destroying that retaliated.”
While casualty figures remain unconfirmed, Wilcox called for peace, urging both communities and residents to embrace reconciliation for the accelerated development of the area.
He highlighted the longstanding boundary issue but stressed that it should not escalate into violent attacks on innocent people.
The Bayelsa State Police Spokesman, ASP Musa Muhammed, confirmed the crisis, revealing that the tactical team had been deployed to the affected areas to restore peace and calm.
