Many people have lost their lives and several houses set on fire during a renewed Bassa-Igburra crisis in Bassa Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Before now, there have been an age long fracas between the two ethnic groups over land ownership and fish ponds.
Meanwhile, the intervention of the state governor, Yahaya Bello has enabled peace in the last two years in the area.
The renewed crisis was reported to have broken out on Monday, May 30, when two persons allegedly from Bassa ethnic origin were allegedly killed.
The two victims were killed on a farm at Uga-Cheure near Oguma, the headquarters of the council and Korumu near Udogbo.
It was gathered that Bassa people had thought that the killing was sponsored by Igburra Mozum because of the existing cold war between the two ethnic groups.
Report has it that the Bassa people had reported the issue to the divisional police post at Oguma.
In retaliation to the Monday killing, another two Bassa people have allegedly lost their lives on a farm in Sheria and Korumu, near Odugbo on Thursday.
The fracas has continued in the early hours of Saturday June 4 as houses were set on fire by the gunmen.
Mr Keke Kaku, a community leader in Bassa, said that the army and the police has positioned themselves at Oguma in attempts to quell the crisis.
“By Saturday morning, both the police and a detachment of the army moved to Udogbo town to repel the invading gunmen,” he said.
He however noted that since the hostility began on Monday, six lives of the Igbura-Mozum people had been lost to gunmen in the community.
Also, another source has revealed that not less than 18 persons had been killed from both sides since the crisis began on Monday, while immeasurable amount of properties have been burnt.
A member of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Ranyi Daniya, has called on the people of Bassa to keep peace in the communities.
The lawmaker has charged security agents to arrest those perpetrating violence in the communities.
The police command in the state has confirmed the incident, and said that the issue was under control.
The spokesperson for the police in the state, SP Williams Aya, said the security agents had been deployed to the affected area to restore normalcy.
The authorities of the police have denied any casualty.