BENIN CITY – At least, five persons have been murdered and several others wounded in a cult clash that engulfed three communities near Benin City the Edo State Capital, last Sunday.
The Communities are Uhie, Okha 1 and Okha 2, along Sapele road in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of the state.
Those killed are men in their prime whom their assailants attacked at different locations in the Benin suburbs.
It will be recalled that the police had last Monday told The NIGERIAN OBSERVER that the Okaighele of Uhie Community one Mr. Osas Imafidon informed them of cult-related clash that left one dead in Uhie Community, last Sunday.
“One Osas Imafidon reported to the police at New Etete Police Division of the cult killing in his community, Uhie”. DSP Chidi stated last Monday.
It was gathered that operatives of Ologbo Police Divisional Headquarters in charge of security in the area had evacuated the corpses to the mortuary.
Residents expressed apprehensions over being victims of circumstances now that cultists have turned their neighbourhoods to battle field.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the station, CSP Salua Joshua appeared unruffled by the ugly situation in his jurisdiction as he was seen smiling and pressing his telephone handset inside his office when our reporter visited, last Wednesday.
A patrol vehicle of Edo State-own security outfit code-named “Operation Wabaizigan” was sighted in the area at about 4:15pm on Wednesday.
Sources hinted that the killings in the past three days at Okha 1 and Okha 2 were deadly reprisals of Uhie Community episode that reportedly recorded a casualty, last Sunday.
Amongst the casualties was one Louis Izevbekhai, father of four hacked at his Okha 2 residence when the hoodlums missed his friend, alleged to be their primary target.
His brother in-law, one Charles Ivbuojemi, who led late Louis Izevbakhai’s bereaved family members to Ologbo Police Division to formally report the sad incidence, disclosed this to The NIGERIAN OBSERVER on Wednesday.
Giving details of the killings, the Public Relations Officer for Edo Police Command, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor said some residents of the three communities made separate distress calls to the police.
“About 23:35pm on Monday, August 26, 2019 the DPO Ologbo received information that some group of boys attacked themselves in Okha Community in the process killed one unknown male adult.
“Also, about 20:46pm on Tuesday, August 27, 2019 the DPO Ologbo received information from Okha 2 that one unknown male adult was killed by suspected cultists in reprisal attack. One unregistered Deylong motorcycle was recovered from the scene.
“Again, about 10:58a.m on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 information came from Okha 1 that two more corpses with machete cuts on the head while one Agbondimwin Oyegue, 34 was shot dead in front of his house”. DSP Chidi stated.
He however stated that six expended cartridges were recovered from the scene as all the corpses had been evaluated to Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Benin City.
While assuring residents of security of lives and property, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor advised the warring groups to turn a new leaf as the command was ready to deal decisively with anyone or group caught fomenting trouble in Edo State.
