A bloody crash over market boundary dispute between Ekiugbo and Otor-Iwhreko communities both in Ughelli North Local Government Area of _Delta State was averted by the timely intervention of security operatives from the 222 Army, Agbarha- Otor and policemen from Delta Central Area Police Command, Ughelli.
In the wake of the aborted bloody crash, Ekiugbo community leaders issued a communiqué calling on the Delta State government to intervene in order to resolve the boundary issue, which has been lingering for a long time between them and Iwherko community.
Ekiugbo community leaders alleged that Ughelli river had been serving as thenatural boundary between Ekiugbo and Otor-Iwherko communities until some years back when youths in Otor-Iwherko started crossing over to th other side of the river, which belongs to Ekiugbo people, to collect of daily levies from the food market and some streets stores in Ekiugbo land.
Secretary General of Ekiugbo community, Friday Erhude, said his community would not allow anybody or groups of persons, including Iwherko, community to trespassing on their land.
He said all peaceful moves to stop Iwherko people from encroaching into Ekiugbo land for the purpose of levy collections failed, adding that several peaceful protests to the traditional ruler of the kingdom and council chairman as well as the security operatives in the area did not also help the issue as Iwherko community youthsfailed to stop violent entry into the Ekiugbo community land. Ekiugbo community further alleged that court and government agencies that are looking into the matter ordered or directed that no one should collect any form of levy from the foodstuff market until a decision is made by the court, the Iwherko community youths still go into the market on daily basis to harass the market women and other traders including Ekiugbo people to extort money from them.
He said Ekiugbo community youths, therefore, organised a peaceful protest and mounted a signpost by the market bridge at the side of Ekiugbo land, adding that Otor-Iwherko youths on seeing the signboard started chanting war songs in preparation to fight Ekiugbo people.
He said Ekiugbo people have since removed the signboard as pleaded by the O/C222 Battalion, Agbarha Otor, but appealed to the government and other relevant authorities to intervene before it is too late, noting that Ekiugbo is a peace loving community but would not continue to fold her hands and watch strangers taking what is rightfully belongs to her.
Stating their own side of the story, Otor-Iwhreko claimed that Ughelli main market and food stuff market separated by the river are one and both belonged to them. They further alleged that their forefathers collected such levies from both sides of the river unchallenged. Iwhreko community explained that they were aggrieved when they woke up to see a signboard on the side of Ekiugbo community by the bank of the river indicating that where the signboard is standing was the boundary between the two communities while the matter is still pending in the court of law and no judgement to their knowledge has been delivered, wondering how such signpost be there.
Iwherko community while speaking through Iwhreko Community Electoral Committee chairman, Roy Anthony, denied going to the market to collect any levy following the standing order of a court, alleging that the issue has taken the life of one their sons from late Chief Odugbo family during the reign of Late Oke of Ekiugbo.
He there, therefore, called for urgent intervention by the state government in order to end the issue and save the situation from escalating.
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