Two persons were killed, two others sustained various degree of injuries while property and farm products worths millions of naira set ablaze by some youths from Emigi community in Katcha local government area who attacked Kuchita community in Lavun Local Government area.
Youths from Emigi invaded Kuchita in their large numbers in the early hours of Saturday, shooting sparodically killing two youths on the spot and two others sustained injury from gun shot wounds.
The crisis that led to the invasion on Kuchita community was as a result of farm land and fishpond which has been a subject of litigation over some decades between the two communities.
Kuchita community had gotten judgement against Emigi Community earlier in the state High court suit No NSHC/ BD/ 2005, delivered on November 19th 2012 where the respondendet prayers were granted by the then Justice Mohammed Aliyu Mayaki.
Emigi community applied to set aside Justice Aliyu Mayaki ruling of 19 November 2012, at this point Barrister Ben Adokwu opposed. the said application of Emigi lawyer Barrister Mohammed A. Liman delivered in favour of Kuchita after hearing argument from both parties lawyers Justice Aliyu Mayaki on February 15th 2013 set aside his own rulling of 19 November 2012 Kuchita Community through their lawyer Barrister Ben Adokwu challenged the judgement of 15 February 2013 at the court of Appeal in Abuja 29th of September 2020 The Court of Appeals in Abuja, set aside the rulling of Justice Aliyu Mayaki of 15 February 2013 and restalled the judgement of 19 November 2012 in favour of Kuchita Community.
While awaiting the execution of the judgement of the appeal court to be carried out a form 48 and 49 were to be issue by Justice Abdullahi Mikailu of the State High court No3 youths from Emigi invaded Kuchita their large numbers and embarked on wanton destruction of lives and property of Kuchita community.
Already, there is palpable fear enveloping residents of Kuchita as women and children have taken refuge in some neighbouring villages.
Speaking in an interview with Newsmen in Minna an indigen of Kuchita community Babanma Nnako said the Youths from Emigi community have been attacking their community over farmland and fish ponds for many years.
He said several efforts to resolve the matter by successive traditional rulers over the years has not Yielded any meaningful result.
He explained that the Etsu Nupe Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar had invited the both communities to his Wadata palace with the aim of making peace with them but to no avail “only for Emigi youths because of their numerical strength invaded our community and unleashed mayhem on our people killing two youths. They set many houses on fire and carted food items. As I’m talking to you now, our people have abandoned their homes and now taken refuge in neighbouring villages for fear of further attacks.”
He called on the Niger State governor Abubakar Ssni Bello to as a matter of urgency deploy security agencies to Kuchita to safeguard lives and property of the people.
