The Edo Police Command revealed on Saturday that a fight between farmers and some suspected cocoa thieves in the rural hamlet of Gbelemotin, Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State, resulted in five fatalities and four injuries.
The conflict that began Thursday night intensified on Friday morning when people who were thought to be sympathetic to the brawl’s victims organized and attempted a counterattack.
The local cocoa farmers and several crop thieves, who were allegedly Izon lads, engaged in a violent altercation in the Gbelemotin hamlet.
According to a local source who spoke on Sunday, the incident began on Thursday when a cocoa farmer from Ikale recruited vigilantes to protect his cocoa farm, which had been heavily targeted by suspected Izon youngsters for poaching.
The vigilantes allegedly killed four of the Izon boys while on duty.
Source confirmed that, some Izon boys launched a reprisal early Friday morning on the vigilantes in an attempt to revenge the killing of their colleagues.
The source added, “There was fighting on Friday in my zone. Many were feared killed. Vigilantes employed by an Ikale man killed four Izon boys on Thursday. The boys were allegedly stealing produce belonging to the produce farmer. The boys are from Kolombor (Gbelemotin).”
“There was a counter-attack and some people were killed and houses burnt on Friday. The number of casualties on the other side is unknown.”
“Soldiers and other security officers were there later on Friday. They moved some bodies but there are still many bodies in the bushes.”
“The cocoa these boys were stealing belong to Yoruba farmers in the area at Madotti Camp. The Yoruba must have suffered some collateral loses,” the source said.
The Edo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, when contacted said five persons were killed while four others were injured in the clash.
In a message, the PRO said, “Five persons were confirmed dead while four others were injured in a clash between Gbelemoti community and maidoti community.
“Joint operation with the Army, vigilantes, and other agencies is ongoing as he situation has been brought under control.” Yamu stated.
