‘Onu Akwu’ stool claims 3 lives over 20 houses raised

The sleepy town of Akwu in Ankpa local government of Kogi State came up in flames over who occupies the Onu Akwu title.

ABUJAPEOPLE gathered what appeared to look like a rancour within a family escalated in a crises that led the lives of one of the contestants, Sylvester Sule and two other persons have lost their lives in Ankpa local government area of Kogi state.
It was learnt that the struggle over who heads the village was between two clans in Akwu community, a development that that has lingered for years.

Trouble however started when none of the contestants agreed to step down for the other until all hell broke lose on Wednesday night.
“We were sleeping when we heard commotion from the eastern part of the community and when I came out, some houses were already on fire,” a source recants.
He noted that 20 houses were razed in the clash which lasted over five hours.
According to him: “We retrieved three bodies and evacuated many injured to health centers and hospitals in Ankpa and environs.”
Among the houses burnt were those of the administrator for Ankpa LGA, Mr. John Aduga, whose kinsman is among the deceased is said to be one of the contenders to the stool.
The Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, William Aya, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, confirmed the incident on Thursday.
According to him, altercation over chieftaincy claiming led to the clash, with consequent deaths and destruction.
He said that apart from the three deaths recorded and houses razed, five motorcycles were also burnt in the fracas.
He said the number of casualties could have been higher if not for the timely intervention of police operatives from the Ankpa Division.
He however said that no arrest has been made in connection with the incident as residents deserted the community on sighting men of the command.