Armed bandits who identified their group as ‘Ijaw Freedom Fighters’ on Sunday night attacked Imariogha community, near Okomu oil palm plantation, setting ablaze over eight vehicles.
According to a note pinned to the chest of a victim of the attack and addressed to Governor Godwin Obaseki, the attackers made several demands from management of Okomu Oil Palm Plc.
Some of the demands included directorship position in Okomu oil palm company and 25 per cent of the company’s shares.
The group wrote, ‘We are not fighting any security personnel but Okomu Oil Palm Company.’
Investigation reveals that the bandit invaded the community, formerly known as AT&P, located in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo.
The Commissioner of Police in Edo, Mr. Funsho Adegboye, confirmed the attack to NAN in a telephone interview in Benin.
“We are aware of the incident and have visited the community. We are already holding talks in partnership with sister security organisations and Okomu Oil Palm Company to arrest the situation,” he said.
Meanwhile, an eye witness told NAN that the invaders entered the community from the Riverside at midnight, shooting endlessly into the air and setting fire to about eight private vehicles and destruction of many houses.
Mr. Rex Akpokiniovo, one of the community leaders, told NAN that while one person was killed, a chief of the community, Pa Gabriel Okorugbe, who sustained injuries from the attack, has been hospitalised.
“The corpse of one person has been taken away by the police. My house was attacked and my car burnt down by the gunmen who came into the community at midnight and started shooting menacingly into the air.
“One of the Okomu workers who resided in the community was killed, while the invaders left a warning note on his chest,” Akpokiniovo said. (NAN)
