The Edo State Police Command has apprehended eight individuals linked to the alleged murder of a site engineer, Efe Ogbeide, amid a leadership dispute in the Obazagbon Community of Benin.
Confirming the arrests on Thursday, the command’s spokesperson, CSP Moses Yamu, identified Joshua Edo, the youth chairman of the community, as the prime suspect.
The other detained individuals include Obayuwana Happy, Uhunwangho Everest, Chidera Umeh, Simon Benjamin, Odion Adagbonyin, Kennedy Ohro, and Osayi Adagbonyin.
Yamu disclosed that officers from the Iyekogba Division’s Operation Rescue and Anti-Kidnapping Unit tracked down and arrested the suspects at various locations.
The leadership crisis, according to Yamu, arose from conflicts over the roles of chairman and the traditional leader, Okiaghele.
The unrest has led to multiple fatalities and significant property damage valued at millions of naira.
Edo State Commissioner of Police, Betty Isokpan, denounced the violence and assured that those responsible would be brought to justice.
She also reaffirmed the commitment of security agencies to protecting lives and property.
Ogbeide’s murder has triggered outrage, with civil society groups, including the Network for the Advancement of People with Visible Disabilities (NAPVID) and the Edo State Civil Society Organisations, staging a protest on Tuesday.
Melody Omosha, NAPVID’s Executive Director, condemned the killing, describing Ogbeide as a diligent professional.
She highlighted that the deceased, who was deaf, may not have been able to hear warnings before the attack.
The protesting groups demanded justice for Ogbeide and called for improved security measures to safeguard persons with disabilities in the state.