Land Dispute: Baligansin, Bamukumbit Spar Go Bloody, One Killed

Northwest Governor Aldolph Lele Lafrique has called on the people of Baligansin and Bamukumbit in Ngoketunjia Division of the North West Region to bury their grievances and live as good neigbours. Governor Lele Lafrique made the clarion call when he visited the disputed piece of land where one person was killed and several houses destroyed.

 It is reported that a land dispute broke out in the early hours of last Saturday between Baligansin and Bamukumbit in Balikumbat sub division and the confrontation resulted to one dead. It is alleged that the dispute between the two villages erupted over a piece of land. Allegations abound that matters came to head when irate Bamukumbit villagers stormed Baligansin and took the villagers off guard. It is aired that four houses were destroyed and a young man in his early 20s was killed. Being a less-thickly populated village, Baligansins rather than fight back reportedly took to their heels. It is thanks to the timely intervention of the forces of law and order that Baligansin did not retaliate.

According to The Guardian Post (lone English Language Daily), the two villages have a long standing dispute over a piece of land that dates back to 1979. A ministerial decision had on July 20, 1979 ruled that the disputed piece of land belongs to Bamukumbit but a 2005 prefectoral order awarded the land to Baligashu. In the midst of the administrative buffoonery, a prime ministerial order ruled the area as a no-man’s land.  But recently, the people of Baligashu secretly began constructing a newly-created Government Technical College on the disputed land. Tempers flared when the people of Bamukumbit got wind of the development; tempers which fortunately did not degenerate into a confrontation because of the timely military intervention. North West governor, Adolphe Lele Afrique rushed to Bamukumbit on Saturday with troops to maintain order. Four people from Bamukumbit were arrested while the village remains heavily-militarized.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)