Tension has enveloped the Igbo-Etche community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State following the gruesome killing of a retired police officer, Mr Godwin, allegedly murdered by suspected land grabbers during a violent confrontation over a parcel of land.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred when the deceased reportedly challenged a group of men accused of forcefully taking over his family’s land. The confrontation quickly degenerated into violence, resulting in the fatal attack on Mr Godwin. The assailants were said to have fled the area immediately after the incident.
In the aftermath of the killing, relatives and sympathisers of the deceased reportedly went on a rampage, setting fire to houses believed to belong to the suspected killers. Several properties were destroyed in the process, throwing the entire village into turmoil.
Residents of Igbo-Etche have described the situation as tragic and called on security agencies to restore calm to the area before the violence spreads further. Community sources say many families have fled their homes out of fear of reprisal attacks, as unconfirmed reports indicate that the land grabbers are regrouping and may return with armed touts to retaliate.
Security operatives have since been deployed to the community to forestall escalation, while the Rivers State Police Command is yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
Meanwhile, community leaders have appealed for restraint and urged both parties to allow law enforcement agencies to investigate and bring those responsible for the killing and destruction to justice.
