No fewer than 15 persons have been confirmed dead in Evboesi community in Edo State as youths in the community clash over the proposed payment of compensation for crude oil pipelines transversing a large parcel of land belonging to the family of Mr Alex Enosoregbe, a police statement confirmed.

A statement by the Edo State Command of the Nigerian Police disclosed that some 15 local indigenes of Evboesi community have reportedly been murdered following the escalation of dispute over payment of compensation for the destruction of crops by underground crude-oil pipelines tranversing a large parcel of farmland belonging to Mr Alex Enosoregbe in the community.

According to the statement, the dispute over payment of compensation degenerated and escalated beyond redemption between officials of the oil company operating in the community, owners of the farmland and youths of the community thereby resulting in tragic loss of lives.

The parcel of land, according to information made available, had been the bone of contention amongst the members and elders of the community for several years until the unfortunate incident of May 29th 2016 which claimed several lives.

It was gathered that a delegation of the oil company had brokered a deal with the family of the owner of the farmland during of one of several meetings which culminated in an agreement for compensation as a result of the crops destroyed by the crude oil pipelines that eroded the valuable crops and drastically reducing the size of the farmland.

The scheduled meeting that was billed for 10am between the oil company’s officials and the owners of the land including youths of the community in anticipation of a peaceful resolution of the faceoff emanating from the compensation, was said to have degenerated into a chaotic situation at about 4:30pm as disagreements between both parties over the terms and modalities of payment for the compensation to the owners of the large parcel of farmland were reported to have escalated beyond redemption..

The said farmland which was expected to attract a very huge amount of money running into hundreds of millions of naira as compensation according to some members of the family, had been given to Mr Enosoregbe Friday Destiny by his father Mr Alex Enosoregbe.

However, as tensions over the inability of the officials of the oil company and the family of the owners of the farmland escalated over payment of compensation, the aggrieved youths and thugs in Evboesi community were said to have engaged in a free-for-all as gunshots were sporadically fired to register their displeasure during the meeting thereby sending residents, officials of the oil company and others to flee and scamper for safety.

As the number of casualties from the conflict gradually rose to 15, the said owner was said to have managed to escape from Evboesi community to Benin City where he was reportedly trailed down to his apartment in Benin City by some unknown gunmen who again fired gunshots sporadically as they marched towards his apartment to unleash mayhem on their fleeing target.

It was however gathered that following the breakdown of negotiations between the officials of the oil company and the owner of the farmland concerning the dispute over compensation, the thugs and yourhs of Evboesi community were reported to have secretly planned to attack and eliminate the owner of the large parcel of land over the huge compensation .

Following failed attempts to apprehend and track down the owner of the farmland in his apartment after he had managed to escape the unknown gunmen who stormed his apartment by running away under the cover of the darkness of the night.

Meanwhile, a police statement by the Edo State Command made available to journalists in Benin City stated that the police have declared all the suspects including the owner of the farmland wanted for their involvement in the dispute which led to the tragic murder of over 15 members of the community.

The statement further stated that while the dispute over payment of compensation for every crude oil pipelines transversing the entire farmland belonging to Mr Enosoregbe Friday Destiny over destruction of crops continued, drastic measures had been taken by the command to apprehend and prosecute every culprits involved in the murder of the 15 persons in Evboesi community.