(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) Nigerian authorities announced on Sunday that at least 23 corpses had been recovered from two communities in Nigeria's Benue State following clashes over ownership of a fish pond.
"We have record of 23 deaths so far with several others injured," police spokesman Austin Ezeani told The Anadolu Agency from provincial capital Makurdi.
He confirmed that the Ologba and Egba communities are fighting over ownership of a fish pond.
"We are investigating the crisis and arrests have been made," the spokesman told AA. "Once we conclude our investigation, we will definitely press charges against the culprits."
Ezeani said the clashes appear to have resulted from "long brewing bad blood" between the two communities.
"We are also investigating the claim by Egba people that Ologba community had aided some miscreants to attack their village," he said.
"You must note that people of Ologba have denied this accusation," added the police spokesman.
Nigeria's Benue, Plateau, Taraba and Nasarawa states - which are called the Middle Belt - are prone to violent clashes basically around issues of farmland, grazing rights of animals and jostle for political largesse.
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