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Five (5) men have been reported dead, while six (6) others sustained serious injuries in a shooting incident at Gbenyiri, a suburb of Sawla-Tuna-Kalba in the Savannah Region.
According to multiple reports, the incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday and was triggered by a disagreement over a parcel of land between rival factions. A report by Joy News indicated that the chief of Kalba is among those confirmed dead.
The report further noted that the violence escalated after the chief of Gbenyiri returned home. The chief of Kalba, in a gesture of courtesy, reportedly asked his son to escort the Gbenyiri chief back to his community. However, they were attacked by one of the factions in the dispute, who allegedly laid an ambush, leading to the killings.
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Speaking to Graphic Online, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Sawla-Tuna-Kalba, Mr Sinkina Saaka, confirmed the incident. He explained that the conflict stemmed from the sale of land by a local chief to a private developer. When the developer attempted to begin work on the land, some community members resisted, resulting in heightened tensions.
Mr Saaka stated:
It all started when the chief sold a piece of land to the developer some years ago. When the developer came to work on the land, the community members prevented him. The chief and his son later visited the community to ascertain the situation and were physically attacked.
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Meanwhile, a combined team of security personnel, including the Savannah Regional Police Commander, DCOP Awowolo, has been deployed by the Savannah Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to both Kalba and Gbenyiri to maintain peace and safeguard lives and property.