Herdsmen kill farmer, palm wine tapper in Edo State

As gunmen abduct three persons in Calabar
Herdsmen killed One Owoh 45 and Samuel Imonkhai in Owan Community in Ovia North East Council Area of Edo State.

Until his murder, Owoh, who was a palm wine tapper was shot by the bandits, while plying his trade, just as Imonkhai was killed on his farm.

In a ‘Save Our Soul’ message to the Edo State government, residents of Owan, Agbanikaka, Uhiere, Odiguetie and Odighi communities in Uhiere Ward of the council, appealed to Governor Godwin Obaseki and security agencies to come to their rescue and end the killings by herdsmen in the communities.

Commenting on the incident, the Odionwere of Owan Community, Pa Ifiabor Michael, said herdsmen had laid siege to the Owan communities and have not only ravaged farmlands, but also embarked on the killing of residents.

He said no fewer than eight persons, who were predominantly farmers, have been killed in the communities since the beginning of February 2020.

“Just yesterday, two indigenes of Owan Village-a palm wine tapper named Owoh 45 was shot by the bandits where he was tapping his palm wine in the farm-while Samuel Imonkhai was brutally murdered by the same bandits,” he said.

Another resident told The Guardian that all efforts by the inhabitants of the communities to draw government’s attention to their plight has not received the required attention.

He added that Owan Community has become a flashpoint for herders as a policeman was killed recently, while another policeman and several other indigenes of Owan Community, among them vigilance group members, sustained various degrees of bullet wounds during an ambush by the bandits.

They were attacked when they attempted to retrieve the corpse of a member of the community who was also killed in the farm by herdsmen.

Several calls made to Spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor over the incident were not answered.

Meanwhile, unknown gunmen have again abducted an accountant with the Cross River Newspaper Cooperation, Maurice Archibong and an associate Professor at the University of Calabar, David Ugwu.

It was learnt that the kidnappers also took a businessman based in Calabar. Desmond Oko on Tuesday night at Goldie, Calabar South Council Area of Cross River State.

Oko 55 had earlier been kidnapped in his home in Calabar in 2018.

A source close to the family disclosed that before he was kidnapped, he was at State Housing Estate where he had late evening relaxation with some friends.