5th January, 2022
By Jethro Ibileke
Edo State Police Command has debunked reports of invasion of a farming community, 2nd Abumere Ojigbelu Camp, in the Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the State by suspected armed herdsmen who dressed in military uniform.
According to the reports of the incident which occurred last Sunday, the alleged bandits were said to have chased the villagers away and took over their farms, houses and property.
But, the State Commissioner of Police, Philip Ogbadu, in a statement on Wednesday, described the reports as fake news.
Ogbadu disclosed this when he led a joint security team including the Police, Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and local vigilante to the community.
Ogbadu who was represented by the Command Public Relations Officer, SP Kontongs Bello, reassured on the commitment of the security agencies to the protection of lives and property of residents.
He noted nobody was killed nor houses burnt as alleged in the fake news.
According to him, “The news making the rounds on social media that a community in Edo State was sacked over the weekend by herdsmen is not true. A joint security force made up of the Army and Police have visited the area to get first-hand information on the issue.
“We have been directed following the report of the sack of the community, which is why we came here with journalists to visit the community. It was an issue of farmer and herders clash.
“People are agitated by the story; we are here to ensure the tension is reduced. The community has not been sacked as reported by some aspects of the media. No house was burnt and nobody killed. We have visited the village in the company of the Area Commander, DPO Ekiadolor and the Army.
“We want to assure the people that are residing here that they are safe. We assure you of the safety of lives and property. This delegation is here to show that the government and security agencies are committed to ensuring that there is no breakdown of law and order in the state.”