Tony Osauzo, Benin
An attempt by a vigilance group to enforce the stay at home and social distancing directive issued by the Edo State government has left three members of the group critically injured, following alleged attack on them by Amendo worshipers and Yahoo boys at Dagbala in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the State. Narrating the incident, one of those who sustained injuries from the attack, Mr. Kehinde Livinus, said the leader of the community vigilante , Mr Steven Felix, himself and Mr. James Thomas, in an attempt to enforce the directives, had gone to disperse a gathering of the Amendo worshipers and Yahoo boys when they were violently attacked by the worshippers.
“The traditional ruler of the community had earlier in the week directed that all festivals, burial, wedding ceremonies and all public gatherings should be discouraged to prevent the spread of coronavirus in and around Dagbala and directed the vigilante men to enforce compliance”.
He stated that the three of them sustained deep cut injuries while the spleen of their leader was ruptured and part of the lungs affected.
Meanwhile, four suspects have been arrested by the police in Ososo in connection to the attack. Two of the suspects were identified as Emmanuel Raphael and David Ojo, alleged to be cultists and Yahoo boys while the other two were neighbours alleged to be collaborating with the suspects.
Comments of the Police on the incident could not be obtained, as both the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lawan Jimeta and the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Chidi Nwabuzor would neither return phone calls nor short messages (sms) sent to them.