The Chairman of Kogi Local Government Council of Kogi State, Alhaji Isa Abdulkarim, has warned people of Ogande and Edumose communities to maintain peace and harmony following a land dispute, which claimed the lives of two indigenes in the area.
Abdulkarim, who was joined by his Bassa Local Government counterpart, Muhammed Shuaibu Mukhtar, condemned the clash between the people of the two neighbouring communities.
He said it was unfortunate that despite the fact that they shared the same ancestral history of Egbura Koto tribe of the Koton-Karfe kingdom and are also bounded by marriage ties, they allowed the land matter to lead to the loss of lives.
He said it was important for both communities to sheath their swords and allow peace to reign, saying his administration and that of his counterpart from Bassa local government will put heads together to ensure that a lasting resolution to end the decade land dispute in the area.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Bassa Local Government Council, Muhammed Shuaibu Mukhtar, commended both village chiefs of the two communities for ensuring that no further casualties were recorded during the communal clash.
He, therefore, appealed to the youths of the two communities to stay away from engaging in any utterances that may further ignite violence among people of the two communities.
The Okumagu of Egbura Koto Fellele, Alhaji Osidi Musa, who represented the Ohimegye of Igu-Kotonkarfe kingdom, Alhaji Abdulrazak Isah Koto, warned that violence was tantamount to disunity, which he said always resulted in the destruction of lives and property.
The monarch, therefore, urged the warring communities to embrace peace saying the best way to achieve peace in any society was through dialogue.
It was learnt that trouble broke out after youths from the two communities engaged themselves with dangerous weapons after a farmer from one of the community was alleged to have trespassed into the disputed land, which shares borders with the neigbouring village.
