Several houses burnt as Benue communities clash

Several houses have been razed in two communities of Oju Local Government Area of Benue State during a visit by a team of National Population Commission (NPC) to the vicinity for a delineation exercise.

Our correspondent gathered that the NPC team fled the scene after the troubled communities of Ibilla and Ukpa engaged violence spree.

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It was learnt that the villagers burnt several houses in aftermath of the melee over an alleged age-long land dispute which was triggered by the coming of the Commission to the area to carry out their duties.

Witnesses said the team whose presence was meant to do delineation in preparation for the enumeration exercise, had barely arrived the border communities when its inhabitants threw caution to the wind and shot sporadically making the visiting NPC members scampered to safety.

Spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Catherine Anene, who confirmed the incident to journalists in Makurdi said that there was no record of death, except that several houses were burnt.