The sleepy small town of Obayantor Ikpoba Okha local government of Edo state has been taken over by armed soldiers following the death of four persons after a clash between them and some youths.
A community source who would not want his name in print explained that the root of the crisis which has thrown the town into deep mourning has to do with leadership tussle following the removal of the erstwhile youth leader (Okhaegele) and the installation of a new one.
The community source alleged that one of the aggrieved parties had brought in the soldiers to the community in a determined bid to reclaimed the title, noting that the fatal shooting occured during the fracas between the youths and the security men, leading to the death of two soldiers.
Continuing, the source added that the soldiers who later swooped on the community in a reprisal attack, killed four youths to avenge the earlier death of their colleagues.
The invaders were said to have fired sporadically when they got to the community just as the people scampered for safety, killing four persons in the process.
He said the soldiers have taken over the community harassing innocent residents who are going about their businesses.
The spokesperson of the 4 Brigade headquarters of the Nigeria Army Benin, Capt. Yemi Sokoya however, vehemently denied the involvement of soldiers in the leadership tussle.
Sokoya said: “We went there with the DSS who actually gave us the information and before we got there they opened fire on the troop who responded but to the glory of God we were able to clear the community and recover some arms and ammunition.”
He said the soldiers didn’t go there because of leadership tussle but on the intelligence that arms are being stockpiling there, saying they are not interested in any rivalry in the community.
The army spokesman disclosed that three English pump action gun, two AK 47 riflles, one double barrel gun 32 live catriges phones and Identify cars belonging to vigilante found in the pockets of the criminals were recovered.
The Edo State Police spokesman, Mr. Bello Kontongs, said it was an army operation and not the police, disclosing that some persons were reportedly killed in the community following a clash between some youths and the Nigerian Army.
