By Jethro Ibileke
The Commissioner of Police in charge of Edo Command, Mr Funsho Adegboye, has confirmed the invasion of Imariogha Community, a riverine community in Ovia South West local government of the state by suspected ethnic militias.
Imariogha is a riverine community close to the Okomu Oil Palm plantation.
The attackers who allegedly referred to themselves as Ijaw freedom fighters, reportedly killed one person and set houses and vehicles ablaze during the night invasion.
It was gathered that the gunmen entered the community through the riverside and started sporadic shooting, resulting in the death of the victim.
One of the chiefs of the community, Pa Gabriel Okorugbe, who reportedly received machete cuts, is presently hospitalized.
It was further gathering that the rampaging gunmen who left a note containing their demands on the chest of the victim, made it clear that they were not fighting security personnel but Okomu Oil Company.
A source in the community who did not want his name mentioned in print disclosed that the note was addressed to the Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and the Okomu oil palm company.
According to the source, amongst other things, the attackers demanded that the management of Okomu Oil Palm Company appoint one of their indigenes into the position of a director in the company, as well as 25 percent of the company’s shares.
CP Adegboye while confirming the incident to journalists, disclosed that a team of security operatives has since been deployed to the affected community.
“We are already holding talks in partnership with sister security organizations and Okomu oil palm company to arrest the situation,” Adegboye said.