Suspected Fulani herdsmen attacked the Ukhun hamlet in Edo State’s Esan West Local Government Area, reportedly killing one person and injuring several others.
The state administration has been working to clear the area of criminal herders and kidnappers, but this crime still happened. A one-minute, 30-second video that went viral on social media disclosed the incident, which was allegedly carried out on Saturday.
A speaker in the video narrates urgently:
“This is Ukhun Community in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State. We are under attack. Ukhun Kingdom is under attack.”
“The Fulani herdsmen have blocked the road. They killed Mr. Dan, an Igbira man living in Ukhun, in the bush this morning, and we are still searching for others who are missing.”
“We need government support; we need rescue. Please, anyone who can help, we are reporting live from Ukhun, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.”
According to local sources, the suspected herders ambushed farmers on their way to their farmlands, allegedly attempting to kidnap them. However, the farmers managed to escape, attributing their survival to divine intervention.
Residents of Ukhun lamented that such attacks and kidnappings have become alarmingly frequent in their community.
They recalled that Mallam Bello Obadan was kidnapped, macheted, and ambushed on his way to his farm in February 2025. While being transported to the kidnappers’ camp, he suffered severe injuries to his nose and other parts of his body before passing out from blood loss.
His kidnappers left him because they thought he was dead. Nevertheless, he was miraculously saved and required extensive medical care throughout his three months in the hospital.
Zaiki Thomas Aboiralor Omoigiade, the Onojie of Ukhun, responded to the attack by pleading with Commissioner of Police Betty Nekpen Isokpan Otimenyin, Director of DSS Bello Bakori, Director of Edo State Security Network CP Friday Ibadin (Rtd), Governor Monday Okpebholo, and Ekpoma Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to step in and protect community members’ lives and property.
“Ukhun is in dire need of government intervention and assistance to protect our people,” Omoigiade stated.
Similar to this, Alex Eguakhide, CEO of FECHA Project Ltd., urged the Edo State government to act swiftly, pointing out that the majority of Ukhun’s residents are peasant farmers who now live in constant fear of being abducted and killed.
He bemoaned the fact that many members of the agrarian community are unable to cultivate or feed their families, making life intolerable for them as a result of the instability.
“Nowhere is safe anymore for my people,” Eguakhide stressed. “Something must be done urgently to arrest the situation and bring these invaders to justice.”
According to reports, a group of police officers led by Solomon Ekeweye, the DPO of Ekpoma, evaluated the murder scene.
Moses Joel Yamu, the Edo State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, responded to a call by saying that the command had not yet been informed about the event but that it would look into it and offer updates. However, no new information has been received as of the time of publication.
