Gunmen Kill Three Okomu Oil Staff in Edo

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Tragedy has occurred at Okomu Oil Palm Company PLC following the killing of three of its employees by gunmen.

The incident was said to have happened on Monday, while the worker were working on their Okomu plantation situated in Ovia South West local government area of Edo State.

The Public Relations officer of the company, Fidelis Olise, who confirmed this killing yesterday, said they are to know those responsible for the act.

He stated that the company enjoys a  cordial relationship with the communities in the area, noting that he could not say whether members of the communities were involved in the attack.

Olise also said that the incident had been reported to the police and investigation already ongoing.

He said: “I can confirm to you that three of our staff were killed by gunmen on Monday while they were working on our plantation.

“We enjoy cordial relationship with the communities around us and we cannot say whether members of the communities were involved. However, the matter has been reported to the police and we hope justice will be done.”

Reacting, the state Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, said that more men had been deployed by the state command to the area to forestall a repeat of the attack, adding that it was shocking that the gunmen could carry out such attack.

He said that the attackers were from a neighbouring state, noting that efforts were on to arrest the culprits and bring them to book.

Adegboye also said that the police were working with the management of Okomu to perfect ways of making the environment safer for its staff at all times.

The CP said: “Preliminary findings showed that the gunmen came from the creek in a neighbouring state, which I would not like to mention. The attack is shocking.

“However, more men have been deployed to the area to forestall a repeat, while the police in conjunction with Okomu is working to ensure that the culprits are arrested. We will not allow such an occurrence to happen in the state again.”