Police confused as Urum, Achalla dispute turn bloody

It appears the police in Achalla and Mgbakwu are confused on how to tackle the  lingering land dispute between two agrarian communities of Urum and Achalla, in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday which took a dangerous dimension as hundreds of armed men from Achalla allegedly invaded Urum community.

The men allegedly unleashed violence on the people of Urum with dangerous weapons, leaving many  with various degrees of injuries.

The attackers reportedly carted away goods worth millions of naira.
The attackers also invaded the palace of the traditional ruler of Urum community, Igwe B. O. Nweke and destroyed his livestock. Residents of Akitin and Ifiteora villages were not spared in the attack.

Economic trees, cash and food crops, and newly cultivated farmlands worth millions of naira were destroyed; about 2 motorcycles were also forcefully snatched from Okada riders plying the Isuaniocha-Urum-Achalla road, while roadside maize sellers from Awka, the Anambra State capital who had come to Urum to buy maize for onward retail lost their goods to the tune of about N210,000 to the invaders.

A commercial motorcyclist, Mr. Onyebuchi Atuba from the neighbouring Amanuke community while showing our reporter his wounds said he was beaten black and blue with machetes.
One of the maize merchants, Mrs Chidimma Osita told newsmen that the warmongers snatched her bags of maize worth about N40,000 with the motorcycle it was already tied on while her colleagues were not spared.
Contacted, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Ali Alphonsus Okechukwu said “the police has waded into the matter to douse tension, so there  won’t be break down of law and order.”

Photo: Igwe Nwokedi