From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Suspected herdsmen have reportedly killed three persons and abducted 13 others in Emokpae community in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Addressing newsmen at the Government House in Benin yesterday, during a peaceful protest, leader of the group who simply identified himself as Commander Egua, said the incident happened on Wednesday afternoon.
He said the bus conveying their children who were coming back from school and other market women were accosted by suspected Fulani Herdsmen and were taken into the forest.
Egua said the Herdsmen who appeared from the bush have killed three of their persons already while others are still being held captive.
“I am commander Egua, commander in charge of Agor Emokpae environ under Edo State Security Network .
“Yesterday, as at 3pm, when our children were returning from school from the neighbouring community, the herdsmen invaded the road, took our children even the bike men that went to take them from the school, they were also kidnapped in the process.
“One minibus that was also taking passengers to the nearby community was stopped and the passengers were also kidnapped.
“As we speak, 15 persons have already been kidnapped and three of them have already been killed by the herdsmen”, Egua added.
He said they have decided to take the protest to the government house having heard about how the governor mobilized all the security agencies in the state to rescue the over 20 train passengers kidnapped by herdsmen recently at Igueben.
“So, we have come to solicit the help of the government because we heard of an incident that happened at Igueben were about 20 persons were kidnapped, they mobilized all the security agencies in the state in freeing their hostages.
“So, the government should rise up and act fast”, he said.
When asked if the kidnappers have contacted them for ransom, he said “the information we just got before we left the community, a woman that was also kidnapped in the community has called her family saying the kidnappers have asked her to bring N20 million”.
Another protester, Esther Matthew, appealed to the state government to help rescue her husband from the hands of the kidnappers
“I am here to beg our governor, our father, to help me.
“They have kidnapped my husband and my son and my brother who went to rescue them, they have also killed him. We have seen his dead body”, the 28- year-old woman said.
Also lamenting the abduction of her children, Mrs Gift Omoruyi, said her two children were also kidnapped
“My two children were coming from school when they were kidnapped. The boy is 13 while the girl is 15”, she said.
When contacted, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, said he was not aware of the incident.
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