Gunmen kill farmer in Edo

Gunmen have killed a middle-age man, Danjuma Emokpaire, in his farm on Friday at Ubune-Ivbiaro Community in Owan-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

One of the residents who spoke on condition of anonymity said the deceased was attacked by the armed men while leaving the farm after the day’s work.

The resident said Emokpaire told him and others that he was going to farm on Friday to plant yam seedlings.

He said they became worried when the deceased was not seen at home on Saturday morning.

He added, “There was heavy rainfall on Friday night, so people did not know if he returned from the farm or not. But this (Saturday) morning when he was not seen around, some persons went to his house and found it locked from the outside.

“So, we went in search for him at the farm and unfortunately, we found him dead. What we see around the scene of the incident indicated that he was attack and kill while on his motorcycle. There was no sign of struggle between him and his assailants.

“The motorbike was damaged, his cutlass and mobile phone were taken away by the murderers. The incident has been reported to the Afuze Divisional Police and some officers were sent to the community who went with us to the farm.

Also speaking, a member of vigilante group in the community, Abdul Saliu Emokpaire, who is a family member of the deceased, said the corpse have been brought home for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.

Emokpaire called on the the security agencies and the Edo State Government to come to the aid of the community as the people are now afraid to go to the farm for fear of being attacked or killed by hoodlums.

He said, “We call on security agencies in the state and Governor Godwin Obaseki to come to our aid. We mourning one of our illustrious sons whose life was cut short by evil men.

“This is farming season, and this is the time the people of the community who are predominantly farmers are preparing their lands for cultivation. Fears have gripped the community and we are now afraid to go to our various farms”, he added.

He said that some few weeks ago, some farmers were attacked by the suspected gunmen after questioning them over the destruction of their farm and the harvesting of their cassava to feed their cows.

Meanwhile, a senior police officer in the Afuze Divisional Police Headquarters confirmed the incident.

The officer, who preferred who preferred anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, said officers had been drafted to the community and visited the scene of the crime. He also said that the officers obtained the necessary information that was required for investigations.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor said he was yet to be briefed, but said he would bring the information to the attention of the State Commissioner of Police, CP Funsho Adegboye.

It is recalled that a few years ago, suspected gunmen raped a married woman in the community in the presence of his husband in the farm.