Gunmen hack farmer to death in Edo

Some gunmen have allegedly killed a farmer identified as Mr Danjuma Emokpaire on his farm in Edo State.

It was gathered that the incident happened on Friday at Ubune-Ivbiaro community in Owan-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The slain farmer was alleged to have been attacked by the gunmen while leaving the farm for home after the day’s work.

A source said the community began to search for the deceased when he was not seen at home on Saturday morning.

“So, we have to mobilize to the farm to search for him but unfortunately,
We found him dead.

“From what we saw around the scene in the bush, he was killed while on a motorcycle as there was no sign of confrontation between him and his assailants,” the source said.

He added that the motorbike was damaged, while the farmer’s mobile phone was taken away.

A member of a vigilante group in the community, Abdul Saliu Emokpaire, said the corpse had been brought home for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.

He called on the security agencies and the Edo State Government to come to the aid of the community, saying residents were afraid to go to farm for fear of being attacked by herdsmen.

He said, that the incident had been reported to the Afuze Divisional Police.

Meanwhile, a senior police officer in the Afuze Divisional Police Headquarters, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak, confirmed the incident.

He said police officers had been drafted to the community and visited the scene of the crime.

When contacted, the Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Chidi Nwabuzor said he had not been briefed on the incident.