In response to the killing of nine Oleh youths in the Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, the elite of the Isoko Kingdom have urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, to intervene in the crisis and find the killers in order to prevent reprisals.

The nine youths were killed during a clash between the Oleh and Ozoro communities over a land dispute last Friday.

The Chairman of the Isoko Kingdom Elite Forum, Dr Ogaga Ifowodo, in a statement, called on the federal and state governments to urgently intervene in the crisis.

“The dastardly act might not be unconnected to a disputed land with a neighbouring town that shares borders with Oleh.

“The drums of war between the two main towns of Oleh and Ozoro are beating; we are calling on Buhari and Okowa to prevent needless bloodletting. A delay can cause reprisals and can lead to the destruction of lives and property as well as social unrest.

“For some years now, there has been a dispute over the ownership of land between the two neighbouring communities.

“The Delta State Government is very much aware of the dispute and has set up a conflict resolution committee.

“If nothing is done to assuage the wounded feeling and calm down inflamed passion, there can be reprisals by the aggrieved party”, Ifowodo said.

The group urged Buhari and Okowa to, as a matter of urgency, take steps to prevent a crisis between the two communities by arresting and prosecuting the killers and their sponsors.