ONE BEHEADED, SEVEN HOUSES BURNT AFTER FIGHT OVER GIRL IN EDO COMMUNITY
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
One person has been beheaded and seven houses set ablaze following a violent clash in Ogute-Oke community in Esan East Local Government Area of Edo State, after a disagreement reportedly over a girl escalated into deadly violence.
The incident, which occurred shortly after the community’s Olimi festival and a burial celebration for a popular chief, forced several residents to flee the area amid fear of further attacks and possible arrests.
A source who spoke on condition of anonymity said the trouble began at a party when a disagreement broke out between two men over a girl.
“A guy became annoyed that another guy was dancing with the girl he brought to the party,” the source said.
The source added that the situation escalated when one of the men allegedly used a cutlass to attack the other, inflicting a fatal injury to the neck.
“He used a cutlass to inflict injury on the neck of the other guy which led to his death,” the source said.
Following the killing, relatives of the deceased reportedly stormed the community of the suspected attacker in a reprisal attack and burnt seven houses, while residents fled to avoid being caught in the violence.
Confirming the incident, the Edo State Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Godwin Eshieshie, who hails from the community, said elders have intervened to restore calm.
He explained that the fight started during a social gathering and escalated beyond control after a cutlass was used during the altercation.
He also confirmed that the victim was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, adding that reprisal attacks led to the burning of houses in the community.
“The families of the deceased carried out reprisal attacks and burnt houses. No quarrel warranted the cutlass,” he said, noting that community elders had since stepped in to calm tensions.
Efforts to reach the Edo State Police Command spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The incident adds to a series of violent communal clashes reported in different parts of the country in recent months, raising concerns over rising cases of reprisal attacks and mob violence.
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