The crisis, which began last Thursday at Madotti farm camp, escalated over the weekend, with gunmen attacking seven farm settlements. Police authorities confirmed the death toll at seven as of Sunday night, though local residents claim the number could be higher.
At least seven people have been killed and six others injured in reprisals following a violent clash between cocoa farmers and suspected produce thieves in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The crisis, which began last Thursday at Madotti farm camp, escalated over the weekend, with gunmen attacking seven farm settlements. Police authorities confirmed the death toll at seven as of Sunday night, though local residents claim the number could be higher.
The affected communities—home to farmers from Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Benin ethnic backgrounds—include Marindoti, Gbelemontin Domiju, Kola Village, Taiye Camp, Eto Camp, Dipe Community, Bala Dele Community, and Thousand Community.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Sunday, the Edo State Police Command spokesman, CSP Moses Yamu, said some casualties were taken to the hospital, where seven persons were confirmed dead, while six others are currently receiving treatment.
The statement read, "On 21/02/2025 at about 1000hrs, the Command received a distress call of an ongoing clash between Gbelemonti and Maidoti Communities of Ovia North East LGA.
"Operatives of the Iguobazuwa Police Division, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and the vigilantes, were promptly deployed to the area. The team evacuated some casualties to the hospital where seven (7) persons were confirmed dead while six (6) injured ones are currently receiving treatment.”
Yamu noted that the joint operation is sustained as the situation has been brought under control and normalcy restored.
He said that the investigation into the cause of the clash has equally commenced.
"The Commissioner of Police, CP Betty Enekpen Isokpan Otimenyin, psc, mnips has vowed that no stone would be left unturned in order to unravel the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate and avoidable incident and warned members of the public to always channel their grievances to the appropriate authority, rather than taking laws into their hands," Yamu said.