From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
For their inability to stop the incessant killings and wanton destruction of properties in the troubled Bassa Local Government Area of the state, two first class chiefs have been clamped into detention.
The chiefs are Ohiegba of Mozum, HRH Khalid Bukar Ali and the Aguma of Bassa kingdom HRH William Keke for their inability to forestall peace in their domains.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Govenor, Galaticus Onogwu in a press statement in Lokoja over the weekend confirmed the arrest of the traditional rulers.
The statement stressed that the recent resurgence broke out on Monday May 30, 2022 following the killing of a Bassa Kwomu palm wine tapper, Mr David Daku at Uga Cheure farm near Oguma.
According to the locals, the killing of Mr. Daku enraged the Bassa Kwomus who alleged that the Igburra Mozum people were behind his death.
Our correspondent gathered that While security agents were still investigating the matter, another Bassa Komu man was said to have been killed same day at Koromu near Udogbo.
On thursday June 2, 2022 another two Bassa Kwomus were allegedly killed at Sheria farm and Korumu village respectively.
According to the villagers, these deaths, sparked hostilities in Udogbo and Mozum towns, in which many have been killed and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
The spate of crisis angered Governor Yahaya Bello who vowed to deal ruthlessly with any traditional ruler in Bassa whose community start up any crisis and ordered for their arrest.
The renewed crisis which stemmed out of the killing of a Bassa Kwomu palm wine tapper did not go well with the state government which was said to have directed its security apparatus to keep the two traditional rulers under house arrest.
The Governor had also placed the Divisional Security Officer DSO of the Local Government Area and some Government appointees under security watch for their roles in the violence that has claimed many lives and properties.
However, efforts to reach the two traditional rulers proved abortive as the state government is bent on arresting all those fingered in the crisis.
