Many Feared Dead, Houses, Police Station Burnt in Alleged Killing for Organ Harvesting

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

A midday carnage swept round Agenebode, the headquarters of Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, yesterday, as several persons were reportedly killed, houses burnt including a police station over unwholesome activities of criminal herders.
It was alleged that some suspected criminal herders had been kidnapping and killing people in the area for organ harvesting and sales under alleged police protection.

The incident, which led to yesterday’s carnage, according to a resident, was the case of a young man, who was said to have been kidnapped some weeks ago and after ransom was paid, he was still not released.

It was gathered that the community youths were able to track the phone and the user was arrested and handed over to the police after the user was traced to the head of the Hausa/Fulani community in the area.

Apparently not satisfied with the way the police handled the matter, the youths of the community were said to have stormed the police station and took away the suspect, later led them to the house of the Hausa/Fulani leader where on prodding, he allegedly confessed that several kidnapped victims had been killed and buried in shallow graves after parts of their bodies were harvested.

The infuriated youths dug out the decomposing body of the young man in the compound of the leader of the Hausa/Fulani, who had reportedly fled with his family and in the process of digging up the decomposing body, saw several bones believed to be that of human beings.

In anger, the youths were said to have burnt down the building and then the business centres of several other Hausa/Fulani youths killing some of them and then stormed the police station and set it ablaze.

One of the youths said, “Enough is enough, this must stop. Police kill our children and still collect money from us. These kidnappers will kidnap our children, collect money and still kill them. They will collect N2.5 million, sometimes N3 million from us and still kill the victims.”
When contacted, the chairman of the Council, Mrs Benedicta Atoh, was said to be too shocked to talk as claimed by one of his aides.

The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone  5, Arungwa Udo and the Commissioner of Police in the State Nemi Edwin-Iwo, visited the place apparently to restore order and have an on-the-spot assessment.