Communal crisis forces 23 –yr – old to flee home over death threats

The three-year-old communal crisis between Uneme clan in Akoko Edo Local Government Area and their Okpella neighbours in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo state, has forced a 23 year- old man, Frank Ernest to flee his home over threats to his life.

Ernest was only 20 years old when the communal crisis between the warring clans broke out in February and ended in March of 2016, resulted in the death of his father who was the custodian of a land agreement document between Okpella and Uneme clans.

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According to reports, an agreement was signed by both clans in 1981, wherein, the Okpella clan gave a land rich in mineral deposits to the Uneme clan, in which the late Frank’s father was in custody of the documents. 

Years after, the relationship between both communities turned sour as rivalry and settlers/ indigenes dichotomy dispute reared its ugly head.

This development degenerated into another crisis during which Ernest’s father was shot dead by unknown gunmen when he declined to release the disputed land papers.

As the crisis raged, Ernest’s mother who was pregnant with him at that time hid the identity of her son following the murder of her husband.

At age 15, Ernest’s mother narrated to her son how his father was killed and thereafter, handed over the documents to the disputed land to him. The papers were kept by Ernest whose mother had by this time remarried a man from the neighbouring Uneme community.

Upon inquiry, the stepfather discovered that the young man had in his possession the papers to the disputed land and therefore, made several attempts to take possession of the land documents.

Confronted with refusal of Ernest to hand over the said land documents, the step-father allegedly resorted to threats to force his step-son to release the documents.

Ernest’s obstinacy to keep the documents to the disputed land led to his home being attacked, while his late father’s house including the land documents and his belongings razed by yet to be identified assailants.

Ever since, Ernest life has been under threat, while the young man has been on the run.