Serious clashes over election into a Delta State community's youth executive committee has led to the death of one person.
Men of the Nigeria Police Force
According to Vanguard, one person was reportedly killed and others sustained various degrees of injuries in oil-rich Emu-Ebendo, Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Delta State, weekend, as opposing groups clashed over election into the community’s youth executive committee.
The election, slated for last Saturday, is coming few months after the immediate past Chairman of Ndokwa West, Mr. Chris Osakwe, lifted the suspension he placed on youth activities in the community.
Vanguard reports that trouble started when one of the candidates for the youth chairmanship position and his supporters called for the postponement of the election, a development which did not go down well with the opposing party that insisted that the election must be held.
A source in the community said: “Before the day of the election, there were gunshots renting the air at night, leading to the withdrawal of a chairmanship aspirant from the race before the election because of fear.”
The source, who craved anonymity, said: “The President-General of the community was addressing the delegates when the place became rowdy and chaotic. The President-General was attacked and wounded on the leg.
"Some houses have been burnt and this morning (yesterday) we were told that another house has been burnt. Apart from burning houses, they brought out properties of some persons living in rented houses and set them ablaze.
“As the crisis was going on, it was discovered that one of the youths in the community was missing and could not be reached on his mobile phone.
“Towards yesterday evening (Saturday), he was found dead. His body has been deposited in the mortuary. As we speak, so many people have been taken to the hospital.”
Confirming the incident yesterday, Police Public Relations Officer of the state command, Mr. Andrew Aniamaka, said one person was killed, affirming that the crisis was due to the disruption of the election by the opposing parties.
At press time, security had been beefed up in the community as there was heavy presence of soldiers and Police officers in the area.