By Jethro Ibileke
Cocoa farmers in the Gbelemotin community, in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State, have reportedly clashed with some suspected produce thieves in the locality.
Many people were feared killed and many houses were burnt in the attack and counterattacks that occurred between Thursday night and Friday morning.
A competent source in the locality who pleaded anonymity told journalists that the crisis started on Thursday when an Ikale cocoa farmer hired some vigilantes to guard his cocoa farm which has been under heavy poaching by some suspected Ijaw boys.
The vigilantes were said to have killed four of the Ijaw boys.
The Friday morning counterattack, the source added, was carried out by some Ijaw boys sympathetic to the four allegedly killed by the vigilantes.
“There was fighting yesterday (Friday) in my zone, many are feared killed. A vigilante sponsored by an Ikale man, Igbala, killed four Izon boys two nights ago.
“The boys were allegedly stealing produce belonging to the Yoruba.The boys are from Kolombor (Gbelemotin).
“Yesterday (Friday morning, there was a counterattack and some people were killed and houses burnt. The number of casualties on the other side is yet not known.
“Soldiers and other security officers were there yesterday. They moved some bodies but there are still many bodies in the bushes.
“The cocoa these boys were stealing belong to the Yoruba farmers in the area, at Madotti Camp. The Yorubas must have suffered some collateral losses.” The source volunteered.
When contacted, the Edo State Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Moses Yamu, said that he was yet to get the information and promised to call the Iguobazuwa Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for confirmation.