Five individuals, all male, have been confirmed deceased, while six others have sustained serious injuries during a gunfire exchange over a parcel of land in Gbenyiri, a suburb of Sawla-Tuna-Kalba, located in the Savannah Region.
Sources from JoyNews at Gbenyiri and the Savannah Regional Police Command indicate that the gunfight originated from a protracted land dispute between two opposing factions.
The injured individuals were promptly transported to the district hospital in Sawla for medical attention.
Investigations by JoyNews in the Katalba and Gbenyiri communities disclosed that the incident occurred on Sunday night, compelling the chief of Gbenyiri to abandon his palace and seek refuge at the palace of the Kalba chief.
As per a police source, when the Gbenyiri chief attempted to return home the following day, his counterpart, the Kalba chief, instructed his son to accompany the Gbenyiri chief back to his community.
However, they were ambushed and killed by one of the factions involved in the land dispute.
A joint team of security personnel, including the Savannah Regional Police Commander DCOP Awowolo, has been assigned by the Savannah REGSEC to both Kalba and Gbenyiri to ensure the safety of lives and property.
As of now, no arrests have been made.
