Crisis Erupts in Ogoni Communities

Daily  Independent

23 December 2010

Crisis Erupts in Ogoni Communities

Port Harcourt — No fewer than 15 persons have been reported killed, while several others were injured during renewed attacks between K-Dere and B-Dere communities in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State on Tuesday.

Also, about 200 houses were razed down in the latest crisis which started about 2pm Monday.

It was leant that men suspected to be from a neighbouring community, B-Dere, chased people of K-Dere who were working on their farms back into their village after which they started burning houses and attacking villagers.

The current attack is a retaliation on an earlier clash over a month ago, in which people from neighbouring K-Dere destroyed houses and property worth millions of naira, while several people were wounded.

It will be recalled that the previous clash was due to a disagreement over a British premiership football match, even as the brawl snowballed into a communal clash, which rendered several people homeless.

But, the latest clash has claimed over 15 lives, while hundreds of persons are reportedly homeless.