Land Grabbers Attack Policeman, Others In Ayen Over Disputed Land As Police Confirm 3 Casualties

No fewer than 3 persons have so far reportedly been confirmed dead and many more injured in the lingering land dispute between a commercial farmer identified as Ekhorutomwen Odeh Lucky and land grabbers in Ayen community in Uhunmwode local government area of Edo State as the crisis further deepens.

It will be recalled that the protracted land dispute in the community started in 2022 after the acquisition of 50 acres of land in Ayen community in 2019 by the commercial farmer.

Trouble was said to have however started barely few years after earlier acquisition of 30 acres of land from one Mr.Sunday Uba and another 20 acres from Mr.Julius Osagie for commercial farming.

Land grabbers in the community were said to have earlier launched the first violent assault on the commercial farmer in a bid to reclaim and resell the 50 acres of land to another prospective buyer for higher profits but were unsuccessful as casualties were recorded .

On 2nd October 2022, Ekhorutomwen Odeh Lucky and his workers were brutally attacked while working on the farmland as 2 persons were reportedly murdered in the attacks and others injured.

Again on 1st May 2023, another victim was also confirmed dead in another attack led by Uwagboe Kingsley, the youth leader of Ayen community in company of some thugs armed with dangerous weapons including battle-axe, guns and machetes as several others were reportedly injured.

However on December 31st 2024, our correspondent was reliably informed that a policeman was violently attacked when Ekhorutomwen Odeh Lucky after reporting at police station led some policemen to his farmland.

Again on the fateful day, members of the community were reportedly said to have attacked and injured workers including a policeman who was stabbed in the back by one of the thugs.

Tension in Ayen community was said to have however escalated further after one of the policemen deployed to quell the violence was brutally injured after report of the stabbing of an officer reached the State Command of the Nigerian Police and more officers redeployed to the warring community as back-up.

It was gathered as fierce gunshots were reportedly heard in the community with several injuries recorded.

Meanwhile, a police statement made available by the Edo State Command of the Nigerian Police stated that 3 persons have so far been confirmed dead in a protracted land dispute crisis in Ayen community.

The statement further added that all the land grabbers led by one Uwagboe Kingsley were on the wanted list of the Nigerian Police adding that plans were underway to restore normalcy in the community.