INDEED, Tuesday, August 4, 2015 was a day Osayuki Isaac Osifo, 26 will never forget in his lifetime. In fact, he wished the day never came as he regrettably finds it difficult to come to terms with his present and permanent physical status.
Prior to that fateful Tuesday, if an angle or a prophet had told Osayuki to remain in his community as trouble lurks in a neighbouring community, he probably would have stayed back and avoided this sudden twist of fate.
Again, if the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the area had taken seriously the intelligence report allegedly passed to him a day to the bloody incident by a member of Community Development Association (CDA) of one of the embattled communities, may be the crisis would have been averted.
In the same vein, if the youths of the warring localities had yielded the advice of the Police and their elders, they would have not found themselves in the current mess they are trying to get out from.
It was exclusively scooped that in response to the tip off received by the DPO of Iguobazuwa Police division in charge of the area, he in company of some policemen visited the troubled site.
Having felt the security barometer of the environment, the DPO was said to have moved his men away with a request that leaders of aggrieved community should come and give formal complain to his office at Iguobazuwa town the administrative headquarters of Ovia South-west local government area.
Our crime reporter gathered further that hardly had the DPO left the building site at Okponha community when armed thugs converted the site to a battle field.
Commenting on the lawlessness that reigned supreme throughout the broad day encounter, the police spokesman in Edo State DSP Stephen Onwochei stated that “It was a free for all fight, single barrels, double barrels were fully deployed, shooting at each other, before we moved in seven persons have already sustained injuries”.
Osayuki Isaac Osifo, a year-two dropout student of computer-accounting, College of Education, Ekiadolor, is one of the said seven persons who sustained injuries.
He was shot on his right arm which was amputated to save his life.
The fatherless Osayuki now in agony at a private hospital in Benin City narrates to our crime reporter what transpired that memorable day of his life.
“About 8am or 9am on Tuesday I went to check my site and I met my chairman at Okada junction in Ofumwengbe town driving towards my site, when I got there I saw some people of Ofunmwengbe town exchanging hot words at a particular site.
“They were faces I recognize…., with eight together in one place so I told myself why can’t I talk to them to forget fight and let’s settle this thing amicably.
“In the process, before I knew it somebody came out saying who by this man!, get him! Fire am down!! Before I knew it, from nowhere, a gunshot something just passed through my hand, I looked at my hand it was already like a pieces mood.
“I fell down and from there I did not know what was happening”.
Osayuki however mentioned names of his attackers and the youth who ordered that he should be shot.
“The other one said that anybody who wants to obstruct our work should be shot.
“May be they were seeing me as one of those who wanted to obstruct their work.
“But all I was there for was to maintain peace since the police have already asked us to go to the Palace”. Osayuki concluded.
The youth Chairman of Ofunmwengbe community Edosa Ogiamen stated that the attack on his friend by the youths of Okponha village triggered the communal crisis alleged to have left seven persons with bullet wounds.
He stated that his community Ofunmwengbe and Okponha have a boundary dispute and both sides were advised by the police and traditional authorities to steer clear from the area pending when it will be resolved.
Edosa Ogiamen further stated that Okponha community jettisoned the advice and sold part of the land in other to raise money to fight their rival neighbouring community, Ofumwengbe.
He however alleged that his kinsman Osayuki Isaac Osifo had gone to the area that fateful day unknown to him that Okponha youths and some heavily armed hired thugs deployed from outside the community laid siege to the disputed area.
He averred that some youths of Ofunmwengbe swiftly rushed to rescue their kindred who was severely wounded by the youths of Okponha.
It will be recalled that the youth Chairman of Okponha town Wilson Osaze had also alleged that some youths of Ofunmwengbe community a.k.a Okada junction/new road, armed with guns and dangerous weapons attacked them at a building site during foundation laying in Okponha community.
However, a popular Benin chief from the area is said to have been fuelling the crisis.
The chief it was alleged has been harassing youths and elders of Ofunmwengbe community since the fracas erupted.
He was also said to have catched in on the crisis and ordered his workers to enter the forest in the area where they are now exploring mineral resources belonging to the community.
The Public Relations Officer for Edo Police Command DSP Onwochei stated that Ofunmwengbe and Okponha communities have been embroiled in a boundary dispute.
He explained that the police command has severally advised that they should channel their grievances to the appropriate government agency.
“They were warned seriously against taking laws into their hands, but last Tuesday, somebody from Okponha community was laying foundation within the area said to be disputed.
“The village head of Ofunmwengbe and one of their youth leaders are with us and as we speak, they are giving us useful information as to who and who went there to be shooting”. DSP Onwochei revealed.
He further explained that “our intervention in the matter doesn’t address the issue of boundary dispute but to maintain law and order”.
The police spokesman however stated that arms and ammunition suspected to have been used for the attack have been recovered.
He promised that the police would not treat the issue with kid gloves as operatives are already on the trail of those involved in the invasion.
Ofunmwengbe/Okponha Communal fracas is among similar disturbances that have been witnessed and unresolved across Edo State every year.
It will be recalled that on Saturday, November 22, 2014 residents of Aruogba community in Oredo local government area saw hell in the hands of armed hoodlums who turned the locality into a theatre of war for several hours over CDA leadership tussle.
No fewer than five residential buildings and six exotic cars were set ablaze as windshield of over seven vehicles smashed during the well- coordinated attack.
The panic and confusion that followed the violence caused many parents and children to run helter-skelter for dear life.
At last, one person died in the senseless attack and shortly after, more killings have been recorded as the aggrieved parties continued to hunt themselves in and outside the community.
Amongst the victims was the acclaimed elected CDA chairman Mr. Okoro Ogbaretin who was ambushed and gunned down in the community.
Ever since the crisis engulfed that the community life has never be same again as many residents who fled their ancestral home are yet to go back.
The commissioner of Police in the state then, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo confirmed the arrest of nine suspects at the wake of the fracas.
He further explained that a gun and live ammunition were also recovered.
Will communal disturbances ever ceased in Edo State?
Apparently to complement efforts of law enforcement officials and traditional institutions, the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole-state government years ago constituted the State Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee led by Chief Eduwu Eghator.
Still, communal crisis appears to have defiled permanent solution as affected communities record collateral damage and permanent deformity whenever, wherever and however it erupts.
