File photo

The Nation reports that some suspected herdsmen have killed a farmer and a policeman in Owan community, Ovia North East local government area.

It was gathered that the farmer whose identity was yet to be ascertained was killed last Saturday by herdsmen.

The community called in the police to help retrieve the body but the herdsmen were said to have fired at the police and killed one of them in the process.

A brother to the farmer was also said to be hit by bullets fired by the herdsmen.

The killing made the community members block the Bénin-Akure highway to protest the killings and sought government attention to the crisis.

Motorists plying the road were stranded for several hours that the protest lasted.

One of the protesters who gave his name as Moses, said herdsmen in the bush have been killing and raping women in their community.

Moses said their crops have been destroyed by the herdsmen.

“They killed our person in the bush. We called in the police so that we can retrieve the body but they attacked again and killed a policeman. The government should come to our aid.

“Herdsmen are terrorising us. We need help so that we can go to our farms.”
When contacted for comments, Edo police spokesman, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, said the policeman did not die.

He said the policeman and other injured persons are receiving treatment in the hospital and said that investigations have commenced.

Farmers at Igbanke community in Orhionmwon local government also protested destruction of the crops by herdsmen.

The farmers who protested to Bénin City said they could no longer enter their farms.

They alleged that yams, cassava and other crops were used to feed cows after which the farmlands are set ablaze by the herdsmen to enable fresh grass to grow.

An elder of Iganke, Mr. James Iguando, said, “We are afraid. We cannot take laws into our hands. We don’t have plantain, yams and others again. We are now hungry. Herdsmen take their cows to eat our produce.

DSP Nwabuzor said the police have received petition on the issue and was working on the matter.

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