The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the deaths of two additional people, bringing the total to seven in a battle between cocoa farmers and suspected cocoa thieves in Gbelemotin, Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the state.
Moses Yamu, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, stated on Sunday that six injured people were being treated at an unidentified hospital, updating the previous total of four casualties reported on Saturday.
The violence reportedly began on Thursday night and escalated on Friday morning, when supporters of the initial victims mounted a counterattack.
A local source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, claimed that the situation began when an Ikale cocoa farmer hired vigilantes to protect his plantation, which had been routinely plundered by suspected Izon youths.
Four of the suspects were allegedly slain by the vigilantes while on patrol.
The killings spurred retaliatory attacks on Friday morning, with suspected Izon youths retaliating.
The source said, “There was fighting in my area on Friday, and many are feared dead. Vigilantes hired by an Ikale man, Igbala, killed four Izon boys two nights ago.
“The boys were allegedly stealing cocoa from the farm. The retaliatory attack resulted in more casualties, with some houses set ablaze. The exact number of those killed remains unknown.
“Soldiers and other security personnel arrived on Friday and recovered some bodies, but many corpses are still in the bushes. The stolen cocoa belonged to Yoruba farmers in Madotti Camp, who may have also suffered collateral losses.”
However, on Saturday, Yamu had initially confirmed five deaths and four injuries, stating that security forces had restored order in the affected communities.
However, in a fresh statement on Sunday, he updated the casualty figures, saying, “On February 21, 2025, at about 10:00 hrs, the command received a distress call about an ongoing clash between the Gbelemotin and Madotti communities in Ovia South-West LGA.
“Operatives from the Iguobazuwa Police Division, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and vigilantes, were promptly deployed to the area.
“The team evacuated some casualties to the hospital, where seven persons were confirmed dead, while six others are currently receiving treatment. The joint operation is ongoing, and the situation has been brought under control.
“Meanwhile, an investigation into the cause of the clash has commenced.”
Yamu stated that the Edo State Commissioner of Police , Betty Otimenyin, had promised to conduct a thorough investigation into the event, asking locals to file complaints with relevant authorities rather than resorting to violence.
