At least four people were killed and scores of buildings destroyed in clashes between rival groups feuding over a chieftaincy in the southwestern Nigerian state of Edo, a local lawmaker said on Thursday. The violence erupted after a court confirmed the sovereignty of the incumbent ruler in Etsako West district, about 90 km (60 miles) north of Benin city, to the displeasure of his opponents, Edo House of Assembly chief whip Abdullahi Shaibu Imodagbe said. Complex succession rules mean that titles are often disputed and chieftaincy battles frequently lead to violence. The lawmaker said hundreds of people have fled the area for fear of an outbreak of fresh violence. Edo police spokesman said reinforcements had been deployed to the troubled area, adding three people, including a local politician, had been arrested. Most traditional powers of tribal chiefs in Nigeria have been assumed by politicians, but the titles remain attractive because they retain some financial, social and political benefits.
