Soldiers, Policemen restore peace to seven warring Communities

Calm has returned to seven warring communities after no fewer than 23 persons were feared dead with several others injured in an attacks in Ovia South West Local Government of Edo.

The affected communities included Marindoti, Gbelemontin Domiju, Kola Village, Taiye Camp, Eto Camp, Dipe Community, Bala Dele Community, and Thousand Community.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the settlements were predominantly inhabited by farmers from various ethnic backgrounds, including Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Benin.

Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants, believed to be militants from nearby creeks, stormed the settlements early on Feb. 21, shooting indiscriminately, setting houses ablaze, and other properties.

The onslaught forced residents to flee en masse, abandoning their homes and livelihoods.

One of the witnesses described the attacks as a reprisal for the killing of a suspected cocoa thief by local vigilantes employed by the farmers.

This incident escalated existing tensions between the farmers and the alleged militants, who had previously been accused of encroaching on farmlands and stealing produce.

CSP Moses Yamu, Spokesman of the police command, said on Sunday, that operatives of the Iguobazuwa Police Division, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and the local Vigilantes had intervened.

Yamu said the police had evacuated the casualties to the hospital.

“The joint operation has restored peace to the communities.

“However, investigation into the cause of the clash has equally commenced.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Betty Otimenyin, has vowed that no stone would be left unturned in order to unravel the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate and avoidable incident,” he said.

A NAN correspondent, who visited the scene, however, observed a mass exodus of displaced persons carrying their belongings, seeking refuge in safer areas.

Many homes were reduced to ashes, and the once-thriving farming communities now resembled ghost towns.

Speaking with NAN, Igbala Obazuaye, the head of Marindoti community, said they had been farming in the area for years, but trouble started for them when some youth began to demand for royalties from them.

“It started in 1998 when some youths began encroaching on our land, stealing our crops, and kidnapping our people, notwithstanding the payment of the royalties,” he said.

Obazuaye, who sustained bullet wounds, said the asailiants evaded the community around 8 a.m killing seven persons in his community alone.

According to him, the assailants burnt cocoa, kola nut and cash crops worth more than N20 million.

He appealed for the establishment of a police station, and assistance in rebuilding their communities.

Also, Nafisat Abdulazeez, a resident of Dipe community, described the experience as traumatic, calling for an immediate intervention of Gov. Monday Okpebholo.

She told NAN that no fewer than 15 persons were killed in her Dipe community, while several others had gone missing.

“They came into our community, shooting and burning houses. They killed 15 people, and many more were injured.

“They even burnt my own house, and my family was forced to flee,” she said.

A resident, Mr Joseph Otu refuted the claim that the attack was communal, saying it was unprovoked attacks by militants aiming to extort and terrorise peaceful farmers.

Otu also urged authorities to deploy security forces to safeguard the area, highlighting the communities’ significant contributions to the state’s economy through the cultivation of crops like cocoa, kola nuts, and plantain.

On his part, Usman Mukaila of Dipe community, lauded the immediate deployment of men of the 4 Brigade of the Nigeran Army, Brig-Gen. Ebenezer Oduyebo, calling for an establishment of Army base in the area.

“We commend the Commander of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Benin, for the immediate intervention and deployment of soldiers.

“That has helped to calm the situation for now. If not for him, the rest people would have gone. We also thank the governor.

“We, however, urge him to bring a permanent Army base to this area. We really need his help. You can see all our women and children leaving,” he said. (NAN)

Babangida must be prosecuted over his role in annulment of June 12 1993 election – Group

A well-known Nigerian human rights organisation has described the role of former military leader General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, in the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election as a “coup d’état” against Nigeria’s democracy, thereby calling for his prosecution.

After Babangida openly admitted his role in the annulment, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) made the demand.

The former monarch was accused by the group of trying to mislead Nigerians into thinking he acted in good faith, and they condemned his admission.

In a statement signed by CDHR President Debo Adeniran, the group called the annulment “reckless, illegal, and unconstitutional,” arguing that it remains one of the worst injustices inflicted upon Nigeria, severely undermining democracy and plunging the nation into political instability.

The 1993 election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s most free and fair, was set to declare business magnate Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola as president. However, Babangida abruptly annulled the results on June 23, sparking widespread protests and unrest across the country. This move paved the way for a prolonged period of military rule and social upheaval.

CDHR claims that Babangida’s public acknowledgment is a direct admission of his involvement in an act that led to years of political chaos, economic hardship, and civil unrest.

The group insists that his actions meet the criteria for crimes against humanity and should be prosecuted accordingly.

The rights organization has called on President Bola Tinubu to take immediate action against Babangida, asserting that his confession provides enough grounds for legal action.

“We urge President Tinubu to prosecute General Babangida for crimes against humanity and for orchestrating a coup d’état that undermined the democratic will of Nigerians,” the statement declared.

CDHR also called for posthumous recognition of MKO Abiola as a former Nigerian president and urged penalties for those who benefited from the annulment.

The organisation appealed to international human rights bodies to ensure that justice is served.

Babangida, who served as Nigeria’s military president from 1985 to 1993, has yet to publicly respond to the calls for his prosecution.

Vigilante personnel arrested for allegedly killing, burning Resident’s body

A local vigilante member in Benin City has been arrested by the Edo State Police after allegedly murdering an artisan and burning his body in a chilling act of violence.

The arrest was confirmed by Moses Yamu, the Public Relations Officer for the Edo State Police Command, who spoke about the incident on Sunday.

According to Yamu, the suspect was detained after a distress call was made to the Textile Mill Road Division at approximately 8:00 a.m. on February 20, 2025.

The caller reported discovering the body of a middle-aged man covered in sawdust and burning near a sawmill.

Upon arriving at the scene, police officers found the body still ablaze beneath the pile of sawdust.

The body was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for examination, where authorities discovered a gunshot wound to the back of the victim’s neck, raising serious concerns about the cause of death.

“The investigation is underway, and we have one suspect in custody who was the security guard at the sawmill during the incident,” Yamu said.

“The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further inquiry. Once the investigation concludes, the suspect will be charged with murder.”

The victim, later identified as Lasan Osaze Erhabor, reportedly had an ongoing dispute with the vigilante member.

On the night of the tragic event, Erhabor and a friend were returning home when they were confronted by the suspect near the sawmill.

Armed with a double-barrel shotgun, the vigilante allegedly questioned Erhabor about his late return and accused him of attempting to steal from the sawmill.

Witnesses say the suspect then shot Erhabor, killing him instantly.

The vigilante is said to have dragged the body into the sawmill, covered it with sawdust, and set it on fire in a bid to destroy any evidence of the crime.