Irate Youths Burn Hotel in Edo over Woman’s Killing

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Angry youths in Igarra in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, last Friday reportedly razed down a hotel belonging to man popularly known as Don One (Onesi Obende-Okauru) over the killing of a middle-aged woman in the locality.

The deceased was said to have joined other women on a peaceful march round the town over what they termed strange happenings in the community and to also pray for protection for those that would participate in the yearly Aba festival.

It was gathered that there have been increased cases of criminal activities relating to rituals and sudden ostentatious lifestyles of some young persons whose sources of livelihood were questionable.
Against this backdrop, it was learnt that women of the town had through the town crier instructed that all men in the community should retire to their houses on the fixed date by 8 pm as those of them that have passed menopause were expected to lead the procession naked while others were to accompany them clothed.

The procession had the blessing of the traditional ruler of the town, the Otaru of Igarra, Oba Adeche Saiki.
Tragedy however strucked when the deceased woman was knocked down by a motorist, suspected to be owner of the hotel.
The suspect was also said to have ran over the woman after she was knocked down before speeding away.
He was said to have quickly drove to his hotel, packed his things and locked the entrance gate before zooming off.
Irked by the news of the woman’s death, the youths in the area reportedly stormed the hotel belonging to the suspect and set it ablaze.
Several valuable property belonging to the suspect were reportedly destroyed by the youths.

According to a source from the area, “the day they (women) agreed on, there was an announcement in the community that by 8pm, all men should stay indoor so as to allow them carry out whatever cleansing and appeasement they want to do.

“On the day of the procession, a man popularly called Don One who has an hotel in the area drove into the crowd and hit one of the women who later died.

“Rather than go to the police to report the issue, he quickly went back to his hotel, parked his belongings and left the town.”
Meanwhile, the traditional ruler of the area expressed sadness over the incident but noted yesterday that normalcy had been restored.
Oba Saiki also stated that the matter had been reported to the police for investigation.

Also, the Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Nkombe, who confirmed the incident, said that the security agency was on the trail of the suspect.