Trouble befell some residents of Evbuotubu Quarters in some parts of Egor Local Government Area of Edo State last week when some armed men, suspected to be herdsmen landed in the village, lurching an unexpected attack on the residents.
According to sources, the herdsmen have invaded the village in October, 2023 to attack some men in the village who have been barrier to their grazing, with one Maxwell Oruade as a top target.
It was gathered that Maxwell Oruade, who hailed from Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State has resisted the operations of the herdsmen on several occasions until the fateful day when the herdsmen came with full force, making him their first target.
Sources said the herdsmen in the process of the attack were shooting sporadically heading straight to Maxwell Oruade house, who luckily escaped from the back door before the herdsmen could get to his house.
“The herdsmen set houses ablaze in the village”, a source confirmed.
According to the source, the bandit visited the village more than 4 times within one month and at least two people have been killed in their farms.
Locals in near village who wanted anonymity for fear of becoming a target confirmed that during one of the recent attacks, the herdsman chased Maxwell Oruade, who happens to be one of their top targets in the area. He added that since the day they chased him, nobody knows his whereabouts, whether he has been killed by the herdsmen or not.
One of the sources who identified himself as Osas Aghomoh said no fewer than three farmers in the village have been missing for some weeks and they were suspected to have been killed by the herdsmen.
The activities of herdsmen have been alarming in many parts of Edo villages over the years.
In January, 2023 Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have reportedly invaded Emokpae community, in Ovia North-East LGA of the State, killing three people.
In April, 2022, not less than five people were feared killed and many maimed by suspected criminal herdsmen who attacked Odiguetue, an agrarian community in Edo state.
Similarly, in February, 2021, about seven farmers were killed by suspected herdsmen in some communities in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
