![Six Confirmed Dead, Many Injured As Gunmen Attack Edo Community [Details]](https://infopowerng.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/627890D9-BD5C-425B-AAF7-B0A7AA69F4B1.jpeg)
At least six persons, including three members of the Edo State Security Network (ESSN) have been confirmed dead by gunmen who invaded Okhunmwun Community in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, last Thursday.
The assailants also reportedly shot and wounded several others including a septuagenarian retired military officer, Mr Peter Omorogbe and the Head of the Tactical team of ESSN, Mr Osarenren A.K.A General Small Baba, now hospitalized.
Police gave the identities of the casualties as Endurance Ehioretin, Victor Uwaifo, and a man identified as D D (ESSN operatives) Others are Osas Orobor, Sada Haruna and Wada Hilia, a commercial motorcyclist.
A source in the Community stated that some persons have been missing since the bloody attack.
The sources revealed that the assailants in their numbers sneaked into the community with heavily loaded guns and laid ambush at Okhunmwun road by Uhogua junction inside Okhunmwun Community, where they killed five of their victims.
The source revealed further that as the ESSN Head of the Tactical Team, General Small Baba, who resides in the Community was passing by, accompanied by some of his operatives in a Toyota Sienna, the gunmen opened fire on them.
He (General Small Baba) was said to have escaped with bullet wounds while three of his men lost their lives in the ambush.
It was also gathered that the rampaging armed men thereafter went to the residence of one Osas Orobor, a recently trained ESSN member, and shot him dead.
It was scooped further that after the killing of Orobor, the hoodlums started shooting sporadically which later forced residents of the area to flee for safety at about 8 pm on Thursday.
When our Correspondent visited the community, many houses around the scene of the attack were deserted.
The acting village head (Odionwere) of Okhunmwun Community, Pa. Monday Oviahon, was said to have been unavailable.
However, the former Vice Chairman of the Okhunmwun Community, Mr Aigbedion Ifa, said the attack was shocking.
He said he had already left the locality for Benin City when the Youth Leader (Okaighele), one Mr Louis Ulamen, informed him of the attack as he quickly notified teams of soldiers who accompanied him with others to the scene of the crime.
“When we got to Uhogua junction in Okhunmwun road, we saw Small Baba’s vehicle, the soldiers asked us to go back, we started calling Small Baba to come out that we are by his vehicle, he came out.
“Then we rushed them to UBTH. Five were dead and kept deposited in the mortuary. I later learnt that my own blood brother Osas Orobor, was also killed”, Mr. Aigbedion stated.
Contacted, the youth leader of the Community Mr. Louis Ulamen, said he would speak on the aggression unleashed on his Community on a later day.
Confirming the killings, the Public Relations Officer for Edo State Police Command SP Chidi Nwabuzor said one Charles Aghedo, a prison escapee reportedly led others to attack the Community over a leadership tussle.
“The Okaighele of Okhunmwun Community one Louis Ulamen, reported the incident at Ekiadolor Police Division along Benin-Lagos Expressway.
“He identified some persons who have been troubling the Community and have vowed to take over the leadership and control of the Community by force”, the police spokesman stated.
SP Nwabuzor, further said that on the receipt of the information, police in Ekiadolor moved into the Community where six fatalities were evacuated.
He revealed that one single barrel gun, one live ammunition, 62 expended cartridges, one Toyota Sienna with registration number BEN 973 TY and a minibus marked RRU- 431 ZE were recovered.
He said the police had made good achievements as the investigation commenced.
