Young man killed in Bayelsa land dispute

A 26-year-old man known as Tari, also called Heavyweight, was killed on Sunday during a fight between two youth groups in Diema community, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Sources told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday that Tari was from Opu-Nembe (Bassambiri) in Nembe Local Government Area. He was reportedly part of a youth group that supported Ingo Ikele, the Amayanabo of Diema-Brass.

Community members, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the event, said the trouble started when Ikele sent his followers to check a piece of land meant for a crude oil tank farm by an unnamed oil company.

Reports say another group, led by Baratuaipre Amaene, a rival traditional ruler, confronted them. The disagreement quickly turned violent, and Tari was injured during the clash.

People close to the Divisional Police Headquarters said that Tari was taken to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.

This incident has raised worries about the ongoing tensions between the youth groups in the area, although the exact cause of the fight is still unclear.

When reached for comment, the Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Mohammed, confirmed that peace has returned to the community.

He also mentioned that an investigation is underway to find out what really happened during the clash. As of now, there are no updates about any arrests related to the incident.