Edo On Fire: Explosive Protests Ignite As Youths Confront Police Over Gruesome Allegations

According to reports from Naija News, the unrest was sparked by allegations that criminal Fulani groups, involved in kidnapping and suspected organ harvesting, were being protected by the police.

The chaos reportedly began several weeks ago when a young boy was kidnapped. Despite a ransom payment, the boy was never released, igniting public fury. Local youths managed to track the boy’s phone, leading them to a suspect, who was then handed over to the police.

Further investigations suggested a connection between the suspect and a leader within the local Hausa/Fulani community. Frustrated by the police’s response, the youths stormed the police station, seized the suspect, and pressured him to reveal the whereabouts of the Hausa/Fulani leader.

Under intense questioning, the suspect allegedly confessed that many kidnapping victims had been murdered and their bodies buried in shallow graves. Fueled by anger, the youths excavated the decomposing body of the kidnapped boy from the leader’s compound, discovering human bones believed to belong to other victims.

In retaliation, the protesters set fire to the leader’s compound and other properties linked to the Hausa/Fulani community, including local businesses. Reports indicate that some community members lost their lives during the violence before the mob turned their fury on the police station.

One of the protesters expressed their anger, stating, “Enough is enough; this has to end. The police kill our children and still take money from us. These kidnappers abduct our children, collect ₦2.5 million or sometimes ₦3 million, and still end up killing the victims.”

The council chairman, Mrs. Benedicta Atoh, was reportedly too stunned to comment on the situation.

In response to the escalating crisis, Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 5, Arungwa Udo, and the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Nemi Edwin-Iwo, arrived in Agenebode to assess the situation and work toward restoring order.

Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, acknowledged the situation in a brief text, stating, “Will get back to you ASAP.”