One person has been killed while several others sustained injuries following a fresh communal clash involving Amaeze Aguleri and Umuoba Anam communities in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The incident, which reportedly stemmed from a land dispute, has heightened tension in the affected communities.
Confirming the development, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said one person had been confirmed dead, while several others sustained injuries of varying degrees.
Ikenga also said police operatives had been deployed to the area to restore and maintain peace and prevent further escalation of the conflict.
Amid the tension, former member of the House of Representatives for Anambra East and West Federal Constituency and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Chief Chinedu Obidigwe, has intervened by initiating dialogue with leaders and stakeholders from the two communities.
In a statement issued by his office, Obidigwe expressed concern over the reported casualties and appealed to residents of both communities to remain calm and avoid further violence.
He described Amaeze Aguleri and Umuoba Anam as neighbouring communities with longstanding historical and social ties, stressing that the dispute should not be allowed to escalate into a wider conflict between Aguleri and Anam communities.
According to him, the disagreement is between two villages one in Anam and the other in Aguleri and should be resolved through dialogue rather than violence.
Obidigwe urged traditional rulers, community leaders, elders, stakeholders and relevant authorities to urgently intervene and facilitate meaningful discussions between the parties.
He warned that individuals who attempt to escalate the dispute or portray it as a war between the entire Aguleri and Anam communities could further endanger peace and unity in the area.
He said peaceful dialogue, reconciliation and mutual understanding remained necessary to prevent further loss of lives and property.
“For the sake of our mothers, our children and generations yet unborn, let dialogue prevail over violence, reconciliation over retaliation, and peace over conflict,” he said.
The police deployment is expected to help stabilise the situation as efforts continue to resolve the dispute peacefully.
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