Police officers inspecting burnt houses at the Jopal community in Chereponi district
One person has been killed in a Chieftaincy clash at Jopal in the Chereponi district of the North East region.
The clash has resulted in several houses being burnt to ashes while women and children flee the community for safety.
The dead body has since been conveyed and deposited at the Yendi hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.
The body of the deceased Jilijili Jabab, aged 39 was found lying in a pool of blood under a tree when security personnel visited the community.
The body was inspected by the police and five pellets entry points found on the left side of his chest.
Police also retrieved 11 AA live ammunitions were from the pocket of the deceased trousers.
Another male, one Bokoa Boyiwor is said to have sustained gunshot wounds.
The North East Regional Police Crime Officer, Supt. Reuben Yao Dugah, who confirmed the incident to DGN Online said a total of four houses were torched with one completely burnt to ashes while the other three partly burnt.
According to him, the Jopal village was inhabited by two groups of settlers identified as the “early ” and “late” settlers and that both groups are said to be skimming to have a chief of the village chosen from their respective families.
He indicated that the late settlers had earlier sought the blessing of chief Dassah Pieneba, a sub-chief of Chereponi traditional area, of Tanbong village to nominate and select a chief from their family while the early settlers on the other hand went to the paramount chief of Chereponi, Feme Nanyeme Kofi Malba to nominate, and enskin Yekum Buyork as the chief of Japol village.
This intended enskinment led to the intervention of DISEC to stop the event based on security concerns.
Supt Dugah said very late in the evening of same day the paramount chief of Chereponi reneged on his earlier assurances to DISEC and offered cola nuts in recognition of the authority of Yekum Buyork the candidate for the early settlers, over the village of Japol as chief.
On the return of chief Yekum Buyork and his elders to Japol, there was jubilation which the faction of the late settlers did not countenance which triggered the clashes.
The North East Regional Police Crime Officer, noted that investigations have commenced to identify and apprehend all active participants of the clashes, adding that Chief Yekum Buyork and his elders did not notify Police of any event in accordance with the requirements of the Public Order Act.
Police are on a manhunt for Chief Yekum Buyork and his elders who have since fled the village.
The Crime Officer revealed that paramount chief of Chereponi, Feme Nanyeme Kofi Malba will not be spared for his part in fuelling the clashes.
FROM Eric Kombat, Jopal