Three persons including a cleric have allegedly been killed while working on their farm.

Some others were also injured in attacks by armed men suspected to herders at Sobe in Owan West Local Government Area, Edo North Senatorial District of Edo State.

The cleric and two of his workers, according to a community source, were killed by the AK-47-wielding herdsmen. It was the fifth attack on residents of the community since January this year.

The source, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “The people of Sobe community in Owan West LGA of Edo State suffered another attack on March 4, 2023, following the renewed hostility by Fulani herdsmen in the area.

“A pastor and two of his workers were killed, while they were working on their farmland on Eti Oseh Road, which links Saboginda-Ora.

“Efforts of personnel of Edo State Security Network to rescue the victims before they died, proved abortive, as the herdsmen numbering forty, opened fire on the rescue team, and most of them escaped with varying degrees of bullet injuries.

“We call on the Edo State Government, led by Governor Godwin Obaseki; Edo State Commissioner of Police; and sister security agencies to beef up security around Sobe community.

“This is the fifth time that Sobe will be suffering deadly attacks from Fulani herdsmen this year. Most people living in the suburbs of the community have since left their homes, while most farmers have relocated from the community.”

Edo Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chidi Nwabuzor, a Superintendent of Police (SP), last night, stated that the report of the attacks was yet to get to the Command Headquarters at the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Benin.

Nwabuzor promised to contact the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for confirmation and details of the condemnable attacks, while pleading with Edo residents, especially the people of Sobe, to remain calm and never to take the law into their own hands.

The PPRO declared that Edo police command was fully in charge of the security situation in the state, while closely working with other security agencies, and warned criminals to forthwith desist from their nefarious activities or flee the state, before the long arm of the law would catch up with them. (The Nation)

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