Ex-policeman, 82, killed in land dispute

JETHRO IBILEKE/Benin

The Nigerian police in Benin City, are working hard to recover the corpse of a retired police Inspector, 82-year-old Samuel Ekhoruyimwen Ajayi who was buried alive but some hoodlums in Oghobaghase village of Ewudu community in Ovia North-East local government area of Edo State over land dispute.

The victim who was also head of Oghobaghase village, was said to have been invited to preside over the settlement of a dispute in his domain when he was allegedly waylaid and captured by some youths of Ewudu Village.

His sudden disappearance on Friday, 10 May, prompted his children in Benin City to inform the police who thereafter declared him missing after 24 hours of futile effort to locate him.

Commenting on the dastardly act, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG, zone ‘5’ Benin City, Mr. Hashimu Argungu stated that following intelligent reports, undercover agents led by Sergeant Isaiah Osivwemu, arrested Osamudiamen Uwaila at Ewudu community.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration), Zone 5, Mr. Dave Akinremi who addressed journalists on the incident in Benin, revealed that Police undercover in Benin, led by Sergeant Isaiah Osivwemu led to the arrest of the prime suspect, Osamudiamen Uwaila of Ewudu community, whose confessional statements led to the arrest of seven others, including the Chief Priest of Ovia Deity in Ewudu community, 78-year-old Stephen Oviawe.

Akinyemi further disclosed that two village heads and six youths have also been arrested in connection with the murder.

Police authorities however disclosed that efforts to recover the body of the retired Police Inspector proved futile as other suspects now at large went and removed the corpse from the grave before policemen were led there by one of the suspects.

The prime suspect, 28-year-old Osamudiamen Uwaila, who confessed to the crime, said he connived with others now on the run to capture the victim on the road to his village and took him to an already dug grave in the forest of Ewudu community where they buried him alive after beating him to stupor.

He said they plotted to kill Mr. Samuel Ajayi because of the role he played in a land dispute between Ewudu and Orogun communities some years ago.

Osamudiamen, however denied knowledge of what transpired thereafter as he left the scene immediately, adding that one of his partners in crime now at large, informed him that their victim’s corpse was later relocated to shield their misdeed.

The Chief Priest, Pa Stephen Oviawe who led investigators and a team of police pathologists to the evil forest on 12 June, where they searched for the grave where they reburied the remains without success, stated that he led some elders and youths of Ewudu to perform spiritual cleansing of the land shortly after the murder. He also confessed that he accompanied the group that transferred the body to another grave in the forest at night.

According to the police, the suspects would soon be charged to court.