Eight Villagers ‘Killed’ In Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh Crisis In Delta

At least eight villagers have been killed on Monday following a renewed bloody clash between the people of Aladja community, Udu Local Government Area and Ogbe-Ijoh community, Warri South Local Government Area, both of Delta State.

The death according to reports was as a result of the opening of fire by the military on the defenceless women who filed out to protest the attack on the community by Ogbe-Ijoh people.

According to Saharareporters the clash, which lasted several hours, saw Ogbe-Ijoh militia launch unprovoked attack on the people of Aladja, but they were repelled by the hard-fighting Aladja youth.

Sporadic gunshots rent the air during the attack on the Aladja community by the Ogbe-Ijoh militias before the Aladja youth regrouped to push back the attackers and only for soldiers, allegedly drafted in to bring the situation under control, to start opening fire on the protesting women, resulting in the death of three women and a little boy who had been hit by stray bullet.

A community leader in Aladja, who asked not to be named, blamed the soldiers for opening fire directly on the women who were out on peaceful protest against the unprovoked attack on their husbands and children, explaining that the soldiers came into Aladja on mission to kill and maim the people.

He also accused the Delta State Deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro, an Ijaw indigene, of aiding and abetting the military and other security agents to join forces with his Ogbe-Ijoh kinsmen to kill the people of Aladja from the Urhobo extraction of the state.