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Delta community quietly buries seven persons killed during boundary clashes

By Chido Okafor, Warri
31 December 2018   |   3:41 am
Aladja community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State was yesterday thrown into grief and mourning as the community quietly buried seven of its “fallen heroes” allegedly killed during clashes with Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba communities....

Aladja community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State was yesterday thrown into grief and mourning as the community quietly buried seven of its “fallen heroes” allegedly killed during clashes with Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba communities in Warri South-West local government area.

The deceased were killed in separate clashes between 2016, 2017 and 2018. The names of the seven slain Aladja indigenes were given as Obruche Sunday, Friday Chicago Shefo, Sunday Jewia. Others are William Najirho, Kelly Omoduaire, Amama Olo, and Apoi Najoibo.

Their bodies, which arrived the community in seven ambulances yesterday morning, had been kept in the mortuary pending investigation by relevant authorities investigating the perennial border dispute by the aforementioned communities.

Indigenes and families of the deceased wept profusely when the ambulances arrived the community with sirens blaring.Few journalists who were at the burial scene were bared from taking pictures by some members of the Aladja Community Vigilante. They explained that there was an order by the community leaders that the matter should not be made public in the media and on the social media.

The president of Aladja Community Council, Elder Ogbiruveta Otto, said via phone: “We buried our children but we are not putting it on the media or social media. We are keeping it silent. We have buried and that is all. We have a reason for that”.

The Vice Chairman of Udu Local Government Area, Justice Iyasere, expressed sadness that Aladja community was losing its men to the lingering boundary dispute with Ogbe-Ijoh community.He said: “It is a sad day for us that we are burying our loved ones who died in a battle with their neighbours over a lingering boundary dispute.”

He prayed God Almighty to give the family of the deceased the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. He further appealed to the Delta State government to put its foot down and settle the boundary disputes between the communities once and for all.A youth leader who pleaded for anonymity, told The Guardian that the burial of the fallen heroes is symbolic, saying it signifies honour for Aladja indigenes who were also laid to rest on December 30 in commemoration of the 1995/1996 crisis with their neighbours.

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