Cars and other valuables worth millions of naira have been reportedly destroyed as thugs invaded the residence of Ndalile, the paramount ruler of Mokwa, the headquarters of Mokwa LGA of Niger State.
City & Crime gathered that the crisis which started last Wednesday was as a result of a lingering land dispute between Eppa and Eti-Sheshi communities which is currently before Magistrate Court 1, Bida.
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It was gathered that it took military intervention before the traditional ruler was allowed to attend mosque on Friday as youths reportedly threatened to kill him if he come to the mosque.
The youths, armed with guns and machetes, on Wednesday afternoon invaded the traditional ruler’s home, threatening to kill him following a court order of arrest against an erring group.
The attackers were said to have suspected the traditional ruler to be behind the arrest order and therefore mobilised themselves for resistance.
It was further gathered that several efforts by the Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State State Council of Traditional Rulers, and the Ndalile of Mokwa to resolve the dispute proved abortive after which the matter was taken to court.
Sources said after serving the defendants from Eti-Sheshi area and they refused to honour the court’s summon for the fifth time, the magistrate issued an order of arrest leading to the arrest of one of the suspects which the youths from the area suspected to be with the support of the traditional ruler.
Alhaji Babangida Sonfada, the Sardauna Mokwa, told our correspondent that the protesters had called for the removal of their traditional ruler, to which the Etsu Nupe told them would not be possible after finding their allegations to be untrue.
The Niger State Police Command’s spokesman, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, could not be reached as at the time of filing this report.
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