BENIN CITY — Growing concerns have emerged over reported cases of killings, abductions and other violent crimes in parts of Edo State, with residents expressing fear over what they describe as an increasing threat to lives, farming activities and community security.
Reports from some affected communities indicate that incidents linked to kidnapping, land disputes, farmer-herder conflicts and other forms of organised violence have continued to create anxiety among residents.
Some residents said fear of attacks had discouraged people from accessing their ancestral farmlands, particularly in areas considered vulnerable to criminal activities.
They also expressed concern that in some cases, victims of violent attacks are either abducted or killed in circumstances that make it difficult for their families to recover their remains for burial.
One of the cases drawing attention is the reported killing of Mr Oliver Ugbo and his wife, said to be residents of the Sapele Road axis of Benin City.
According to sources familiar with the incident, the couple were allegedly killed, while their daughter, identified as happy Ugbo a mother of five, was reportedly abducted.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, and the identities and motives of those responsible have not been officially established.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that the attackers may have been part of an organised criminal group allegedly linked to other violent incidents.
The source said efforts to determine the whereabouts of Happy had so far been unsuccessful, adding that members of the family remained apprehensive over their safety.
The source further claimed that Eunice Cardinal had escaped an earlier attack because she did not accompany her parents to the farm on the day of the incident.
There are also concerns within the community that those responsible for the attack could still pose a threat to surviving members of the family.
The reported incident has renewed calls for security agencies to intensify investigations into cases of abduction and killings, particularly those involving families and rural communities.
Security experts and residents have repeatedly stressed the need for improved intelligence gathering, stronger community policing and faster response to reports of kidnapping and violent crime.
While allegations have been made concerning possible organised criminal involvement, there has been no independently verified evidence linking any named individual or group to the killing of the Ugbos or the disappearance of their daughter.
As of the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of Eunice Cardinal remained unknown.
Residents have called on security agencies to sustain efforts to locate Happy Ugbo, identify those responsible for the attacks and ensure that anyone found culpable is prosecuted in accordance with the law.
