UBIAJA – Economic and social activities in Emuado Community in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State were on April 20, 2016 paralysed as residents abandoned their homes and businesses to catch a glimpse of the lifeless body of one Angela Ogbebor, daughter of a prominent peasant farmer in the area, Ogbebor fada who was murdered by some armed youths suspected to be from the neighbouring Akiah community who ambushed her in her late father’s land.

Sources in Emuado confirmed that the murder of Angela could not be unconnected with the lingering communal Crisis between Angela’s later father who was also murdered in cold blood sometime January, 2013, his Emuado and Akiah communities over a portion of large expanse of land which service as boundary between both communities.

Our investigation revealed that Angela’s murder brought to three in her family following the death of her father as well as the gruesome murder of her brother Lucky Ogbebor in June,2013. Lucky was said to have been rushed to an hospital in Benin City, the Edo state Capitol where he gave up the larger community into sober reflection.

The lucky who our crime correspondent gathered was severely macheted later died in Benin City.

It was scooped that trouble started in the disputed land which sources said was handed over to the last Ogbebor Fada by his father following the discovery that a portion of the land was very fertile and has great economic values especially as the said land was the only means for the people of communities in the area to getting sand for their building activities.

It was scooped that the neighbouring Akiah community upon the discovery of the economic potentials of the land as the inhabitants of the Akiah constantly launched attacks of late Ogbebor fada, his Emuado village in view of forcing the people to relinquish the possession of the said land to them, a demand Ogbebor and Emuado vehemently opposed to.

In furtherance of Akiah’s effort to claim the disputed land, the people of Akiah allegedly attacked Ogbebor fada after several warnings for him to stay out of the land as he (fada Ogbebor) was allegedly killed on the said farm land in January, 2013.

According to Investigation, a search team from Emuado later recovered the corpse of Mr. Fada after the children waited all day without their father and returning home from the farm and reported their father’s disappearance to the community.

The development according to multiple sources prompted Lucky and the people of Emuado to launch a revenge mission against the people of Akiah over the murder of Ogbebor fada, as they claimed that no life was lost during the attack.

Though, the police intervened and cautioned both parties to exercise caution and calm pending the outcome of it investigation, the crisis continued unabated as the people of Emuado destroyed farm produce, livestocks and other valuables of the Akiah people that excluded human life.

“Barely five months after the murder of Mr. Ogbebor Fada, Lucky Ogbebor was ambushed by suspected irate youths from Akiah community and unleashed terror on him

“Lucky was rushed by sympertisers to an hospital in Benin City after rejection by ubiaja General hospital where he later died owing to the severe injuries he sustained, as his younger sister Angela Ogbebor who had gone to the disputed land was also murdered and later discovered by Emuado’s search team thereafter.

“This is after an Evboriaria magistrate courtesy in Benin City had gave an order that both parties should stay out of the land” a source who craved for annonymity said.
It was further gathered that the only surviving child. Ogbebor Christopher who was schooling at the Ambrose Alli University. Ekpoma as at the time was forced to abandoned his education and run for safety.

Our paper learnt that Christopher apparently escaped to an unknown destination for fear of the unknown as the alleged killers of his family members have tipped him as the next on the line to be executed.

As at the time of filing his report. Palpable fear has continued to gripped Emuado community over the whereabouts of Ogbebor Christopher.