By Asemota Godwin, Benin.
Residents of Jagbe Community, near Auchi in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State have called on the State and Federal Government to come to their aid to prevent the incessant activities of criminals and extremists operating in the area.
In the early hours of yesterday, bandits, suspected to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, stormed the community in their numbers, wielding guns and machetes. They destroyed property and abducted one Mr Isioma Tommy Okoh, a youth leader at the local church, as well as his fiance, one Miss Blessing Okhiloa. They were whisked away into the forest, along the Auchi-Abuja Highway.
Luck however ran out on the kidnappers when members of the local vigilante group promptly mobilized and gave them a hot chase. They stormed and combed the bushes until they got close to the kidnappers den.
After an intense exchange of gunshots, the kidnappers reportedly escaped into the deepest parts of the forests, leaving behind some ammunition and their victims, who at this point had scampered away from the scene for safety. They were later returned to the community with minor bruises.
Head of Vigilantes in the community, Mr Iyokota Andrew confirmed the incident. He said the rescue operation was made easier because his group had been keeping undercover tabs on the sect for a while now.
“We had some vital information about them before now. We know they have untit camps around the forests, especially along the expressway. We had also given these information to the Police before now. But the challenge is they are normadic in nature and never stay in one place for long. Some also disguise as herdsmen”, he said.
When contacted, the visibly shaken victim, Mr Okoh told our correspondent that the terrorists were hell bent on taking his life. He said this was the second attempt on his life. He said he was first brutally attacked by members of the same group four years ago, over the same baseless accusations. That attack left visible scars on the victim’s head and other parts of the body. He said they wrongly accused him of being anti-Islam.
“We were blindfolded. They said I couldn’t escape this time around. They said I must pay the ultimate price. They accused me of converting from Islam. They also accused me of recruiting and forcibly turning people into Christianity. I do not know where these are coming from. All I do is community service as a youth leader in the local church and community. Most of the times, I use my own resources for these outreaches. I want to thank God for using the Vigilantes to rescue me from the den of these killers. I have no choice but to leave the area for good”, he stated.
However, at the time of filing this report, Miss Blessing Okhiloa could not be reached for comments as she was said to be receiving medical care at an undisclosed location.
Police authority in the area told our corespondent that the matter is being investigated.
