Residents of Agenebode, the headquarters of Etsako East Local Government Area in Edo State, Nigeria, have set fire to a police station in anger over the kidnapping and death of a young boy. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, has heightened tensions in the area, as locals accuse both the police and certain members of the Fulani community of being complicit in the crime.
A source, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the violence erupted after allegations surfaced that suspected Fulani herdsmen were behind a series of kidnappings and killings in the area, allegedly with the protection of local police. The source said, “Several persons were reported killed, and vehicles inside the police station were set ablaze over an allegation that suspected Fulani herdsmen were kidnapping and killing people for organ harvesting; and were allegedly being protected by the police.”
The situation came to a head following the kidnapping of a young boy weeks ago. Despite a ransom being paid for his release, the boy was not returned to his family. Instead, his death was discovered, sparking outrage in the community. “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 source explained.
Community youths, unsatisfied with the police’s handling of the matter, tracked the phone of the suspect and handed over the individual to the authorities. The phone was traced to a member of the Fulani community, which deepened suspicions among the locals. According to the source, “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.”
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The youths, furious over the confession, dug up the body of the young boy in the compound of the Fulani leader, who had fled with his family. During the digging, they reportedly found additional remains believed to be those of other human beings. In response, the enraged youths set fire to the house of the Fulani leader and the business premises of other Hausa/Fulani community members before attacking the police station.
One of the youths, expressing the community’s frustration, said, “Enough is enough. This must stop. The police kill our children and still collect money from us. These kidnappers will abduct our children, collect money and still kill them. They will collect N2.5 million, sometimes, N3 million from us and still kill the victims.”
Local government authorities have struggled to contain the situation. When contacted, Benedicta Atoh, the chairman of the council, was reportedly too shocked to comment on the incident, according to one of his aides.
High-ranking police officials, including the Assistant Inspector General of Police for Zone 5, Arungwa Udo, and the Commissioner of Police, Nemi Edwin-Iwo, have visited the scene to assess the damage and work towards restoring order in the area.
Moses Yamu, the Police Public Relations Officer, responded to inquiries with a brief message stating that he “Will get back to you ASAP.”