No fewer than five persons were killed and many others injured, as suspected armed herdsmen attacked Odiguetue, an agrarian community in Ovia North-East Local Government area of Edo State.
A local source said that the attack and killing happened on Thursday and that members of the community have constituted themselves into vigilance groups to protect themselves.
It was gathered that the herdsmen, who had about a month ago, attacked security personnel in the area also burnt down a patrol van.
They reportedly returned Thursday morning to unleash terror on the locals, who for sometime had barred the headers from grazing on their farms.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bello Kontongs, could not confirm the incident but a community leader, Lt. Commander Anthony Ogie (Rtd), laid a complaint
“For sometime now, the herdsmen have been harassing us. You can’t go to the farm anymore because of them. Last week, around 7 pm, they came close to the houses, shooting but when the people came out, they went back to the bush.
“Then on Thursday, people were on their farms when the herdsmen came and killed three people. That was in the morning. Later in the evening, they came again and killed two more but this time on the expressway. There is a police checkpoint on the highway. The police saw them but didn’t do anything.
“Anytime the herdsmen come, we usually call the police and soldiers, who will come but will not go into the bush where these herdsmen have their camps, even when the villagers volunteer to lead the security men. Odiguetue is a peaceful community. How can you do this to a people who are peaceful and who go about their normal businesses”?Ogie wondered.
Also speaking, another community leader, Elder John Osagiede, recalled that he got the information that the village was going to be attacked and tried to reach the authorities to no avail.