No fewer than five people were confirmed dead in a communal clash that erupted between the boundary community of Akure and the Idanre community, Gbalegi, in Ondo State.
It was gathered that tension had been building in the community over the boundary dispute, as two communities were said to have been laying claim to the boundary village.
A source disclosed that hoodlums invaded Gbalegi in the early hours of Friday, around 8 a.m., and began shooting, causing villagers to flee for safety.
The source said five people were found dead in Gbalegi village after the shooting incident, allegedly carried out by some individuals. Though another source said the number of people killed is over ten.
He explained that the communal clash was fueled by disputed boundaries, which resulted in the loss of lives and destruction of property in the area.
According to him, the bodies of those killed in the incident were taken to the police station before being transported to the morgue in Akure.
He, however, said that Gbalegi village, where the incident occurred, had been deserted by the residents.
Confirming the incident, the State Police Command stated that about seven suspects had been arrested, while seven single-barrel guns were recovered from the arrested suspects.
Speaking on the matter, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Funmi Odunlami, said, “The Ondo State Police Command received a distress call that a group of thugs mobilized themselves to the Gbalegi area (a disputed land between Akure and Idanre), attacking the people of the said area.”
“The police, upon receiving the information, moved to the scene and arrested seven people who were in possession of charms and seven single-barrel guns with a cache of live ammunition and spent cartridges. The police further combed the nearby bush areas and found four corpses with bullet wounds.”
She said the State Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, had called for caution in handling cases related to boundary disputes, urging communities involved in land disputes to approach the court for proper redress rather than resorting to self-help or violence.
