Edo village sacked, 2 persons killed

Edo village sacked, 2 persons killed

Friday, April 1, 2016 11:52 pm


Some of the buildings burnt down

Some of the buildings burnt down in Bekuma Okpameri

 

Two persons have been killed  and thousands displaced in a fresh flare of violence  between Uneme-Ekpedo and Bekuma-Okpameri communities, in Akoko Edo area of Edo State.

‎Trouble was said to have started following an alleged killing of one person out of the four persons  from Uneme-Ekpedo community who were said to have gone to the bush to pluck mangoes.
The suspected assailants were believed to  be members of Bekuma-Okpameri community.

Irked by incident, youths from Uneme-Ekpedo community allegedly mobilised and attacked Bekuma-Okpameri, setting houses on fire and attacking residents.

It was gathered that over 40 houses including the palace of the Oba of Bekuma-Okpameri, HRH Oba Moses Alabi, were set on fire by the rampaging youths.

It was further gathered that scores of people, who were wounded are now receiving medical treatment at hospitals and the IDP camp.

A source in the area who spoke to journalists on phone, said, “As I’m talking to you now, there is nobody in Bekuma-Okpameri. It was unbelievable. The youths have completely sacked the community and residents are now camped in Lampesem.”

He said from the information available to them, the persons who committed the crime that led to the arson on the Bekuma-Okpameri was neither an indigene of Bekuma-Okpameri nor from any of the Okpameri communities.Edo State police commissioner, Chris Ezike, who confirmed the incident to journalists in Benin on phone, said that five police teams have been dispatched to the affected communities to unravel the cause of the trouble and to arrest the perpetrators. ‎

He added that an assistant commissioner of police visited the communities on Friday and held talks with the two traditional rulers.

The displaced people from Bekuma-Okpameri community  are now camped  in Lampese, a neighbouring community.
*The author, Jethro Ibileke, can be reached at [email protected]

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