Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has strongly condemned the violent clashes in the state that have resulted in the deaths of 24 people. He has also ordered the deployment of more security personnel to restore order and prevent further attacks.
The first incident occurred in Gbelemotin, an agrarian community in Ovia South-West Local Government Area, where a violent clash between cocoa farmers and suspected produce thieves led to multiple deaths. While the Edo State Police Command initially reported seven fatalities, local sources claim that the number of deaths has risen to 22.
The violence reportedly began last Thursday night when some individuals allegedly attempted to steal farm produce. The situation escalated by Friday morning as those angered by the previous night’s killings retaliated, leading to further bloodshed. Several homes and farmlands were also destroyed during the attack.
In a separate incident, two residents of Okpekpe in Etsako East Local Government Area—Batemue Philip Ebo and Christopher Bello—were allegedly killed by suspected herders on Monday.
Governor Okpebholo, in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, noted that the state government will not tolerate such acts of violence and assured residents that those responsible will face justice.
“The Governor also denounced the killing of two farmers, Batemue Philip Ebo and Christopher Bello, in Okpekpe community, Etsako East Local Government Area, by suspected herdsmen on Monday,” the statement read.
He also reacted to the attack in Ovia South-West, which reportedly left 22 people dead and many others injured. The assailants, believed to be militants, not only took lives but also set fire to buildings and destroyed farm produce worth millions of naira.
Okpebholo assured residents that the government is taking urgent steps to address the situation and prevent further violence.
“We will not tolerate any form of violence or lawlessness in Edo State. We will work tirelessly to ensure that those responsible for these heinous acts are brought to justice, and we will do everything in our power to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future,” he stated.
