Armed herdsmen have reportedly attacked the agrarian community of Odiguetue in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, killing five people and injuring several others in the process.

The herdsmen had about a month ago, attacked security personnel in the locality and burnt down a patrol van.

They were said to have returned on Thursday morning and attacked the community whose members have been resisting the headers from feeding their cows with their farm produce.

“For some time now, the herdsmen have been harassing us. You can’t go to the farm anymore because of them. Last week, around 7 pm, they came close to the houses, shooting but when the people came out, they went back to the bush.

“Then on Thursday, people were on their farms when the herdsmen came and killed three people. That was in the morning. Later in the evening, they came again and killed two more but this time on the expressway. There is a police checkpoint on the highway. The police saw them but didn’t do anything.

“Anytime the herdsmen come, we usually call the police and soldiers, who will come but will not go into the bush where these herdsmen have their camps, even when the villagers volunteer to lead the security men. Odiguetue is a peaceful community. How can you do this to a people who are peaceful and who go about their normal businesses?” a community leader, Lt. Commander Anthony Ogie, lamented while narrating the incident.

Another community leader, Elder John Osagiede, said he got the information that the village was going to be attacked and tried to reach the authorities to no avail.

“When I got information that the herdsmen were going to attack Odiguetue, I tried to reach the deputy governor but I couldn’t. Then I got in touch with the Honourable, who promised to reach the AIG. The herdsmen have been tormenting the villagers. They uproot their cassava and feed the tubers to their cows.

“On Thursday, the herdsmen came and killed three people. One of the victims, when they used guns and cutlasses on him and it did not work; they rammed a stick into his mouth. Later, they went and killed other people. Five people have been killed so far. This is what they have been doing to us for a long time now,” Osagiede narrated.

Meanwhile, a 68-year-old retiree from the University of Benin, Mr Joseph Obuele, said that when the incident happened on Thursday the community informed the police.

“I left the village yesterday (Friday) and I am on my way back there now (Saturday evening). It was on Thursday that the herdsmen came and killed three people on their farms. Some other casualties were recorded in the neighbouring village, some three kilometres from Odiguetue.

“We informed the police. The police came and they were the ones who took the corpses to the mortuary. For now, there is no security. We are the ones keeping vigilance to ward off further attacks,” Obuele added.

At press time, the spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, Bello Kontongs, was yet to react to a message sent to the Command’s Press Interactive WhatsApp platform, requesting him to confirm the incident. (The Sun)

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