Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh Crisis: Okada Rider Beheaded

The unremitting communal crisis between Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities in Udu and Warri South West local government areas of Delta State over a land boundary dispute claimed a life last Friday, Tribune reports.

This occurred in spite of the warning issued by the Delta State government that both communities should sheathe their swords and maintain peace over the land dispute.

The victim, simply identified as Lawan, was a 25-year-old commercial motorbike rider from Zamfara State. He was reportedly beheaded at his residence in Aladja on Friday.

According to Mr Mustapha Suleman, the Chairman of Arewa Group in Aladja, the deceased was killed and beheaded while trying to escape from his home when some youths armed with weapons stormed his residence.

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Suleman mentioned that two of Lawan’s roommates, who were also motorbike riders from the same Arewa community, were able to escape, but Lawan was not as lucky and lost his life.

The Arewa group chairman stated that he was able to recover the headless body with the help of the military.

He disclosed that the prevailing situation had forced the Arewa Community to flee the area to a safer place until normalcy returned to the Aladja community.

It could, however, not be ascertained which side of the warring communities carried out the attack, or whether it was the handiwork of hoodlums who are taking advantage of the land dispute to perpetrate evil.

The President of Aladja Community Council, Comrade Shell Okakotu GodFirst, also confirmed the incident.

Besides the deployment of security forces to the warring communities, the Delta State Police Command has yet to comment on the killing.