Man’s head sliced open in Edo land dispute

Palpable tension has enveloped Iviukha in Weppa Wanno and Ikpele in Okpekpe communities in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State after a land dispute reportedly claimed the life of a middle aged man, Oseni Ekhameye, who allegedly died from severe machete cuts inflicted on him under the supervision of a prominent member of
Palpable tension has enveloped Iviukha in Weppa Wanno and Ikpele in Okpekpe communities in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State after a land dispute reportedly claimed the life of a middle aged man, Oseni Ekhameye, who allegedly died from severe machete cuts inflicted on him under the supervision of a prominent member of the community. Also, one of the victim’s wives, Umoru Otsemobo, an indigene of Ikpele is said to be receiving treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital after suffering several machete cuts from those that killed her husband. The attack was the height of a rift over the ownership of farmlands that Ekhameye and his peopled claimed belonged to them but which Ikpele people trespassed. Violence and death occurred when the alleged owner hired some labourers to work in the farmland on Sunday. His assailants, who were said to have earlier uprooted the crops and destroyed the farmlands before then, returned to kill him. The victim’s wife had gone to the village to make a report of the earlier destruction when she heard the assailants planning to kill her husband. Although she immediately left the house of the community head to inform her husband of the dastard plan, she could not achieve the objective as the attackers were faster than her. Confirming the death, Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, DSP Moses Eguavone, said, “It was a reported case of a wounded person originally. But the victim eventually died while receiving treatment. The case was first reported at Agenebode Division before it was transferred to the state CID. Arrests have been made and the police will ensure that justice is done and those who are found culpable prosecuted accordingly.”