Residents of Oriozolua Community in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State have appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo and the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II to rescue them from police brutality as the largely quiet and peaceful village has been allegedly held hostage by Policemen and men of the Directorate of State Services (DSS), on alleged trumped up charges purportedly orchestrated by one Egharevba Osasere, a former Okaighele of the community who doesn’t want to relinquish power after eighteen years in the position instead of the normal four years.
When our news crew visited Oriozolua Community today, Monday, 13 October all residents of the community were at home and besieged the village arena discussing in hush tones.
Speaking to newsmen on behalf of the community, the spokesman Mr. Rapheal Omosigho said trouble started in the area around 12 midnight Monday, when the entire community was waken up by sporadic gunshots, adding that the gun wieding men wearing black clothes invaded the home of one Benjamin Osagie, who was not at home at that material time; beat up his wife, Mrs. Queen Osagie who sustained injuries in the process and became unconscious.
In his words, “At about 12 am this morning, we had guns in this community. Scared we all came out and found out that the gun shots were come from some men putting on black clothes and every where was dark and not lit. As the gun shots continued in torrents, we started shouting, thief, thief; thinking that there were armed robbers raiding the area.
“We traced the gun shots to a house here where we met a woman, Mrs. Queen Osagie, the wife of Benjamin Osagie crying and wailing that gun men invaded their house, using wooden ladder to scale the fence and beat her up. We now rushed the woman to the police station here at Orior where they took her statement and took for treatment.
“When everyone came out, the people now told us that they are men of the DSS and the Police. We enquired why they were in the Community and demanded for warrant of arrest. They said we should not be asking them these questions that they are not here for community matter. We told them that there are no other issues that may not be connected to community issues here. They told us to come to DSS office. They zoomed off taking Osagiator Aibangbe, one the community leaders along with them, alleging that he is a member of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) and we started video recording them to ascertain if they are actually men from DSS.”
Omosigho pointed out that Mr. Osasere is orchestrating crisis in the community, labelling the youth leader (Okaighele) Comrade Lucky Ekenomamwan, Osagiator Aibangbe and other leaders of the community as members of Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) before security agencies to ostensibly warrant arrest.
The spokesman added that the matter was taken before the Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Community Matters, Mr. Paul Akhere who told Osasere to hand over to Comrade Lucky Ekenomamwan, who is the new authentic Okaighele of Oriozolua Community and called on Governor Monday Okpebholo and Oba Ewuare ll to rescue them from the evil devices Mr. Osasere who is using the police and other security agencies to harass innocent residents of Oriozolua Community.
“What is bringing the crisis is that the former Okaighele, Osasere wants to remain in office after 18 years and after government’s intervention that his tenure has elapsed.
“We are calling on the Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo and the revered Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II to come to our aid because we’re now living in fear as no day passes without gun shots here. We’re tired of the ways and manner they mete out injustice to us.
“The police brutality in this community has become worrisome, every day the police invade the community with one reason or the other to harass innocent residents in this Oriozolua Community,” he pleaded.
As at the time of filing this report, policemen from Oriozolua Police Station were on ground in the community to fostall brake down of law and order.
They however refused to speak on their own side of the story and directed us to the Public Relations Officer (P.R.O.) of the Edo State Police Command.
Several phone calls put to Edo State Police P. R. O. Moses Yamu did not go through as it was giving out engagement tone.