The Edo State Police Command has taken a local vigilante member into custody for allegedly killing an artisan and setting his body on fire in Benin City. The arrest was made following a distress call received by officers from the Textile Mill Road Division on the morning of February 20, 2025.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, stated that at about 8 a.m., concerned residents alerted the police about a burning body found under a heap of sawdust. The officers immediately responded and arrived at the scene, where they discovered the corpse of a middle-aged man, later identified as Lasan Osaze Erhabor.
Yamu noted, “The DPO mobilised and deployed his operatives to the scene and actually found the corpse burning under the sawdust.”
Authorities attempted to transport the body to a hospital, but further examination revealed that the deceased had sustained a gunshot wound on his back. This discovery led investigators to suspect foul play, prompting an urgent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Erhabor’s death.
The police have since arrested one suspect, who was reportedly working as the security guard at the sawmill where the incident occurred. The case has now been handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further examination.
Yamu assured the public that investigations are ongoing and that justice will be served. “Investigation has already commenced, and we have one suspect in our custody who was the security person of the sawmill at the time the incident happened,” he said.
