With less than a week to Christmas, it was a black Thursday in Edo State as at least six people lost their lives over a land dispute between Ogheghe and Obzagbon communities.

Sources within both communities informed The Guardian that trouble began when a gang, led by one Tony Kabaka from Obzagbon, had a confrontation with people from Ogheghe over a piece of land that Kabaka had allegedly sold to the police cooperative union.

The disputed land, situated in Ogheghe community, according to sources, belonged to one Kelvin Oyenmwense, courtesy of his late father. Kabaka, however, sold the land to the police cooperative union, igniting a conflict between the two communities.

The ensuing feud would claim several lives with at least six people killed, including Kabaka’s own younger brother, who sources say was also a member of his brother’s gang.

“Tony Kabaka, the leader of this cult, sold the only land his (Oyenmwense’s) father left behind, which resulted in a conflict between Ogheghe and Obzagbon communities,” said a source who witnessed the carnage, but who didn’t want his name in print.

“Tony Kabaka and his boys came with weapons and attacked everyone they saw. I counted at least six (dead) people and many others were injured, but his brother was killed during the fight,” said another resident of the community, who also didn’t want his name in print, but who added that members of the Ogheghe community are now living in fear of a retaliatory attack over the death of Kabaka’s brother.

Asked if the police were aware of the incident, another resident, who also preferred anonymity, informed The Guardian that a complaint was lodged at the nearest police station by Mr. Oyenmwense and that police officers have been patrolling the community.

Our correspondent did spot two police patrol vehicles on patrol in Ogheghe community.

Efforts to reach the Police Cooperative were futile as were attempts made by our correspondent to reach out to Mr. Kabaka as the telephone number which allegedly belonged to him was not reachable as of the time of filing in the report.

Mr. Oyenmwense, in an interview with The Guardian, however, said the disputed land was given to him by his father and that he has no plans of selling it. He also confirmed that he had reported “the attack” to the police.

He said: “A lot of people in Edo State fear Tony Kabaka. He claims to have land in every community because he’s a cultist and a political thug. Many communities in Edo State hire him to settle land dispute issues and end up giving him land as settlement.

“My community (Ogheghe) and Obazagbon have been having land disputes for years. We share common boundaries. My father’s land is in the border area but the Obazagbon community always wants to claim most landmarks belonging to Ogheghe and that’s why there are always conflicts.

“But the land Tony Kabaka claims he sold to the police cooperative is the land my father gave to me and I have reported today’s (Thursday’s) encroachment and attack to the police,” he added.

The Edo State Police Commissioner, Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, in a telephone chat with our correspondent on Thursday evening, confirmed that there was “a clash” but couldn’t confirm if there were fatalities or not.

He, however, said a report from the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) in charge of the area said a” complaint was lodged at the police station by a Mr. Oyenmwense, the alleged owner of the disputed land.”

He added that “the police would carry out a thorough investigation to unravel the actual owner of the land and bring the culprits to book.”