October 14, 2024
By Samuel Ogunsona
A police station in Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government Area, was attacked and set ablaze by an angry mob on Sunday.
The violence was sparked by allegations that suspected herdsmen were kidnapping and killing residents for organ harvesting, with claims of police protection.
According to Edo State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, the attackers targeted the police station and suspects in custody.
The police are investigating the incident and allegations of a police cover-up.
“I can confirm to you that the Police Division at Agenebode in Etsako East Local Government Area was attacked yesterday and the station was set ablaze. But the situation is currently under control. Some suspects of alleged kidnapping and murder were burnt but we are still on an on-the-spot and fact-finding assessment and I will give you all the facts when we are done,” Yamu said.
However, a community source was quoted as saying, “The incident that led to the issue was the case of a young boy who was said to have been kidnapped some weeks ago and after a ransom was paid, he was still not released. It was later discovered that he was killed.
“The youths in the community were able to track the phone and the user was arrested and handed over to the police. The user was traced to the head of the Fulani community in the area.
“Apparently not satisfied with the way the police were handling the matter, the youths stormed the police station and took away the suspect, led him to the house of the Fulani leader where on prodding, he allegedly confessed to them that several kidnapped victims had been killed and buried in shallow graves after parts of their bodies were harvested.
“The infuriated youths dug up the decomposing body of the young man in the compound of the leader of the Fulani who had fled with his family and in the process of digging up the decomposing body, saw several bones believed to be those of human beings.
“In anger, the youths burnt down the building and then the business centres of several other Hausa/Fulani youths and then stormed the police station and set it ablaze.”
