Edo Community crisis: Youths Set Ablaze Town hall in a gun duel, as Police launches man hunts on perpetrators

Edo Community crisis:  Youths Set Ablaze Town hall in a gun duel, as Police launches man hunts on perpetrators

By Eben Enasco Kingsley, Benin City

Members of Ubiaza and Obaretin communities in Ikpoba Okha LGA of Edo State, has in the last few days had sleepless nights whilst economic activities disrupted following leadership tussles orchestrated by pockets of individuals said to be allegedly loyal to the former youth chairman Edwin Ogiemwense and his vice chairman Kennedy Obasuyi rebelled against the incumbent youth chairman of the community, Comrade Efosa Ogiamie.

We reliably scooped that, the trouble emanated when the embattled formal youths Chairman, Edwin had allegedly led paid thugs to the community on Saturday midnight hunting for the incumbent youth chairman, comrade Efosa and his neighboring community youth Chairman his loyalist who had left the community before the hour mark. Unfortunately for the irate thugs, they had wanted to give a kickback to their master hence they resorted to shooting to scare off any advancement from the other camp.

Since they were left with nothing, they unleashed their anger on the community town hall and raze it down with fire as members had no option than to scamper for cover

Narrating the ordeal exclusively to the reporter, Comrade ThankGod Idemudia Ogiamien, the Vice Chairman of the community who is on acting capacity to the chairman Efosa reportedly arrested few days earlier by Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, attached to Area 10 Police Force Head Quarters Abuja on the same issue said, the former Chairman Edwin has refused to allow peace reign in the community while calling on appropriate authority to wade into the issue to ensure that peace returns to the community

“Surprisingly we were in Benin when our people called that some people were in the community shooting and burning the town hall. So we called the Police and came down to the community immediately. The elders and the whole community made the decision to remove Edwin because he squanders the community wealth and resources without accounting for it.  Efosa Ogiamien was trusted in to lead the youth as his replacement. Since then him (Edwin) has been terrorizing the community with cultists and thugs. We have not known peace in our community for several months now. We have meant commissioner of police for this issue but to no avail. We don’t know what to do now. That is why we are calling on the Edo State Government to come to our aid and save us from Efosa and his thugs, “he lamented.

also,Ambassador Gorge Osagiede the youth chairman Obaretin condemned the act while calling on security agencies to arrest those involved in the inferno.

Similarly, when contacted for comments the Odionwere, Pa Abaingbe Emokpae Ogiamien could not be accessed as he was reported to be sick as at the time of filing in this report.

Confirming the incident, the acting Police spokesman, Stephen Onwuchi said some persons have been arrested and detained for further questioning while urging the community members to remain calm.

Recalled that the troubled community have been fighting over supremacy of leadership since inception and have deliberately refused to fuse their differences haven had these issues that spanned through the months before the abated peace gradually returned to the community.