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Unease as residents flee over possible escalation of Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh renewed crisis

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There is palpable fear among residents of Aladja/Ogbe-Ijoh Communities and that the renewed war of the two communities which broke out on Friday morning might escalate to more destructive dimensions.

It took Deltans a great shock to have witnessed another deadly clash between the two neighborhood communities after a truce was broke over some years of fighting.

It was reported that Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh Communities renewed clash over a disputed land in the morning hours of today Friday, September 16, 2022 after some moments of truce.

Following the Friday morning incident, many residents had reportedly fled the both communities on fear of escalation of the war.

Some of the fleeing residents could be sighted in Warri and Udu Communities by our correspondent.

However, the two warring communities have continued to trade blame on each other over the renewed communal clash which had killed one and wounded several persons.

According to a report, the Aladja youth stormed the peaceful Ogbe-Ijoh community where there was a heavy gun fight at about 4 am Friday morning.

The source maintained that two indigenes of the Ogbe-Ijoh community were shot dead and others were seriously wounded during the attack in the community.

The report also accused the military of taking sides with the Aladja community against the Ogbe-Ijoh community in the morning attack.

Meanwhile, the army authorities had debunked the alleged involvement, explaining that they only went to calm the situation and stop angry youths from invading the police station in the Ogbe-Ijoh community.

A youth leader in Aladja who equally spoke to Congress correspondent on the condition of anonymity also accused the Ogbe-Ijoh community of invading them in the wee hours of Friday morning.

When contacted, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe confirmed the clash but faulted report of military involvement in the attack.

He also said that it was one person that died and not two as earlier reported.

Edafe, said the police is investigating what caused the renewed clash, adding that residents should be calmed and that government authorities and security agents are on top of the situation.

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