The people of Gbolomotin in Ovia South – West local government area of Edo State on Sunday denied involved in recent killings in the area as a result of a clash between them and some migrant cocoa farmers.
Recall that over twelve persons died in the clash , while the police said they were on the trail of the perpetrators and would bring all of them to justice.
The Gbolomotin community in a statement on Sunday said their people have always been victims of the migrant Yoruba cocoa farmers who had many years ago encroached their land to plant cocoa and that as a way settlement, agreed to pay a token to them for planting their cash crops.
They alleged that over time, the cocoa farmers formed the habit of attacking their youths through a vigilante group they set up and allegedly claim that they have the backing of people in the government.
The statement by Karaem Ebimobobowei made available to journalists in Benin City chronicled how they have been harassed over the years saying over time, the Yoruba farmers began expanding beyond the original areas they were allowed to plant, thereby encroaching on the free uncultivated lands reserved for Ijaw communities
He said as tension grew, the Yoruba farmers started accusing the Ijaw farmers of stealing their cocoa, an allegation he said was unfounded.
“They went further to prevent indigenes of Gbelemotin from passing through the roads and footpaths leading to other Ijaw communities” as they allegedly labeled anybody they see as thief and they would beat them up and wound them in the process and women were not also spared in these attacks.
He alleged that they formed a vigilante group headed by one Igbala which they have been using to enforce their plans against them.
The statement said “The situation took a deadly turn last year when a young Ijaw man, a married man and father of children, was murdered by the vigilante group while returning from a funeral in Jide Village. When an eyewitness of that incident accompanied a delegation from one of the communities went to the police to report the killing and seek justice, he was unjustly arrested on false charges, further confirming that the authorities were not on our side.”
He claimed that not long after this, an Urhobo youth who climbed to harvest wild Palm trees was shot dead by a vigilante and the matter was allegedly swept under the carpet by the police.
The statement said what caused the latest killings was that Ijaw youths went to rescue their people when they heard they were attacked and in the process, they were ambushed again by the cocoa farmers and their vigilante
“When news of the attack reached the village, the youth were outraged; they mobilized to search for their missing brothers, hoping to rescue some that may have survived the onslaught. While searching the bushes, they were ambushed again by the vigilante group. However, they managed to fight back and successfully rescued two seriously wounded victims who had been left for dead.
“At the end we lost four of our youth, two of whose bodies were taken away by the murderers and escaping vigilantes led by an Ikale man named Igbala who happened to be the Head of the Vigilantes. Several other youth of Gbelemotin returned with gunshot injuries.
“It is necessary to point out that this same Igbala is fond of using his powers as a vigilante to harass both women and youth as they move daily on the earth’s roads”.
Ebimobobowei said the narrative being spread by the cocoa farmers portraying them as the aggressors is not true and wants the government and security agencies to do a thorough investigation insisting that as Ijaw, they have the right to live peacefully and work in their homeland.
