Some irate youths from Etisheshi community in Mokwa local council of Niger State have set alight a truck belonging to a rival community, Eppa, WikkiTimes can report.
A source who didn’t want his name in print for fear of victimization said the youths from Etisheshi invaded a garage where the truck was parked and vandalised it.
“We were here (garage) and saw passengers loaded in the truck began to drop down,” he said. “The boys destroyed the truck’s mirror and chased the driver before setting it on fire.”
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WikkiTimes learnt that the communities had been in fracas for quite a time over land ownership. Recently, farmers from Etisheshi were hindered from fetching firewood along Eppa axis, sources said. This, they added, fueled the recent arson.
“Farmers from Etisheshi normally go to their farm and also fetch firewood for domestic uses. But whenever the villagers saw any of them with firewood, they collected firewood and ordered the person not to return,” a source told WikkiTimes. “And when the person is found again, the villagers machete his motorcycle’s tyre.”
The land dispute between Etisheshi and Eppa village has caused a lot of damage to Mokwa town, according to sources.
‘TRUCK BELONGS TO A TARGET’
The truck, according to another discreet source, belongs to one Bababidiga, an Eppa villager “who was among the suspects that killed two farmers from Etisheshi a few months ago.”
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“Most farmers from Etisheshi have stopped farming from the places since the death of the duo,” he claimed.
When WikkiTimes visited the scene, security operatives were spotted trying to restore normalcy.
The spokesman for Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, did not respond to phone calls. Also, a text sent to him had not been responded to at press time.
