No fewer than 10 persons sustained deep machete cuts in a fresh crisis that erupted in the Okere community, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, Saturday night.

The state Police spokesman, Bright Edafe, confirmed the development to Vanguard, saying policemen had been deployed to beef up security in the area.

Policemen were seen in the community yesterday with two patrol vehicles.

There have been different accounts on the cause of the fracas but the Police spokesman, Edafe, said it was a clash between two rival youth factions over the youth chairmanship position in the community.

He said the situation had been brought under control with policemen in the community.

"There was a fracas over the chairmanship of Okere youth, the two factions were having issues but it has been addressed and resolved. Our policemen are on ground," he said.

It will be recalled that a new youth leadership was allegedly inaugurated in the community three weeks ago. But community sources said tension had continued to build in the area over the youth leadership issue.

Ayiri denies link with the fracas

However, some community sources allegedly linked Ayiri Emami to the crisis, saying he mobilised his loyalists to attack some youths in the community.

When contacted, Ayiri dismissed the allegation as tissues of lies, stressing that he was busy with his aunt's funeral, late Mama Newe Urowoli Emami in the community.

"I can't be burying my aunt and be thinking of crisis in the area. It is not true that I had a hand in the crisis. My aunt was being buried so I was busy about her funeral," he said.

Meanwhile, some community sources said the situation on Saturday was a fallout of the crisis in the community about three weeks ago, when some persons tried to disrupt the visit of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III to the area.