Seven persons, including farmers, have been reportedly killed by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen in Edo State.
The killing occurred on Wednesday when the gunmen attacked Ugboke, Oshodi, Okokodo, Ariyan, and Yoruba camp in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state.
Four of the victims were returning from their farm when they were shot dead.
An indigene of the area, Mrs. Janet Ighodaro, said,
“the suspected herdsmen took over the popular Yoruba camp located in Ovia North-East as a base to launch an attack into various communities in our state”.
She said she was lucky to escape stray bullets flying over the air as she ran for safety to take refuge with her family in Benin, adding that the gunmen shot sporadically.
Ighodaro who lamented that security presence in the locality was zero, said the gruesome attack on the camp and communities was reported to the police.
She said the policemen who arrived in the area yesterday only stopped at the Okokhua community and instructed affected communities to bring the dead bodies to them at Okokhuo.
She, therefore, called on security agents to come to their rescue as a matter of urgency.
Edo State Police Public Relations Officer SP Chidi Nwabuzor said efforts were being made to arrest the perpetrators.
“The State Police Command is aware of the incident that happened within the jurisdiction of Ekhiadolor Divisional Police Command. The DPO and his operatives visited the crime site and evacuated the bodies, and moves are on to ensure that place is calm and the lives return to normalcy.
“Also, the Police is carrying out its investigation to effect the arrest of the criminal herdsmen who perpetrated the dastardly acts. The command is bent on using every legal means to fish out the criminals”,
he added.
