Residents of Owan, Agbanikaka , Uhiere, Odiguetie and Odighi communities in Ovia North East local government area of Edo State, have cried out to the state government and security agencies to put an end to wanton killings in their land by suspected herdsmen.
The outcry has been triggered by the latest murder of a palm wine tapper, simply identified as Owoh and Samuel Imonkhai, a farmer, in the early hours of Wednesday, February 19, by persons suspected to be herders.
Owoh, 45 and Imonkhai were allegedly attacked and killed in Owan community by the suspects.
In a ‘Save Our Soul’ message to Edo State government, residents of the affected communities, appealed to the state governor, Godwin Obaseki and the security agencies to take measures that would end incessant killings in their communities.
According to the residents, Owoh, the palm wine tapper was shot by the bandits where he was tapping palm wine in the farm while Samuel Imonkhai was murdered in his farm by the herders.
The traditional ruler of Owan, Ifiabor Michael told newsmen that their communities were under siege from suspected herdsmen.
According to him, the herdsmen have not only ravaged the people’s farmland but have also embarked on a killing spree.
He further noted that no fewer than eight persons; predominantly farmers have been killed across these communities since the start of February, 2020.
Two indigenes of Owan village have been killed. A palm wine tapper, Owoh aged 45 was shot at by the bandits where he was tapping his palm while another man named Samuel Imonkhai was brutally murdered by these same bandits,” he said.
Also speaking, one of the residents, who pleaded anonymity, said all efforts to draw government’s attention to their plight have not received favourable response.
“Recently a policeman was killed while another policeman and several other indigenes of Owan community notably vigilante members sustained various degrees of bullet injury from an ambush from these same bandits when they attempted to go to the bush to retrieve the corpse of a member of the community that was also killed in the farm by herdsmen. Owan community has become a flashpoint for herders,” he said.
Calls made to the spokesperson of Edo police command, Chidi Nwabuzor for confirmation of the incident were not answered.
