Drama As Protesting Community Blocks Edo Highway Over Killing Of Two By Herdsmen

Vehicular movement on the Benin-Auchi Road was disrupted on Wednesday by protesting youths, who blocked the road at Ehor, over the k!lling of two persons by suspected herdsmen.

The protest resulted in serious traffic congestion as motorists were stranded for hours, while those who could manage to escape, used alternative routes, especially those going to Abuja.

Some of the protesters called on the government to find a lasting solution to the k!llings as they alleged that the herdsmen had become more deadly.

Others wondered what needed to be done to keep the killer herdsmen in check.

One of the protesters said, “These k!llings have become too much and we cannot afford to continue to lose able-bodied men and women to these killers, who we suspect are herdsmen. Some of them have abandoned what brought them here and are now engaged in criminal activities.

“We cannot continue to live in fear because of the activities of some unscrupulous people, who have decided to terrorise people in Ehor. They are two victims now, but more will be killed if nothing is done to check their activities.”

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Kontongs Bello, told PUNCH Metro that the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations had already been deployed in Ehor to meet with the protesters and see what could be done to boost security in the area.

He stated that the command had already deployed men in the area to check the activities of criminals, adding that the area would not become a safe haven for criminals.



“I can confirm to you that the ACP Operations has been deployed in the area and our men are already there to boost security around the area. The Edo State Police Command will not tolerate the activities of criminals in the state,” Bello stated.

In a related development, a graduate of Architecture from the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Miss Ella Williams, was on Monday G0nned down by suspected herdsmen on the Benin-Ekpoma Expressway.

Williams was said to be travelling from Benin to Ekpoma to pick up her call-up letter for the one year mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme, when the suspected herdsmen opened fire on the bus conveying her and she died on the spot, while other passengers were abducted.