By Ken Chiwendu
The Edo State Police Command has arrested two suspects, Pastor Ijebor Simon (45 years) and Destiny Okojabhole (23 years), in connection with the gruesome murder of seven-year-old Evans Okojabhole in Irrua, Edo Central.
A statement by the command’s spokesperson, Moses Yamu, said the father of the deceased, John Okhojibole, reported the “unfortunate incident on February 22, 2025, at about 13:45 hours when the remains of his seven-year-old son, Evans Okojabhole, was sighted with his stomach ripped open, his feet severed from his ankle, and some fingers cut off and dumped in the bush close to their house,” Yamu said.
According to him, the police operatives at Irrua Divisional Headquarters arrested the two suspects, who have now been transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) in Benin City for further interrogation.
In a separate development, the police also arrested three suspects in connection with the murder of a vigilante commander, Victor Ogedengbe (50 years), on his farm in Erah Camp, Owan East Local Government Area.
Yamu stated that the Chairman of Owan East LGA reported the killing at Afuze Police Division on February 25, 2025, at about 07:30 hours, alleging that suspected herdsmen attacked and killed Ogedengbe while he was working on his farm.
Following an immediate investigation, police operatives arrested three suspects – Ibrahim Agboje (King), Yakubu Abudulkareem, and Kareem Audu, all of Erah Community. They have also been transferred to the SCID in Benin City for further investigation.
Yamu also revealed that security measures have been strengthened in Uzanu and surrounding areas following the recent killing of two men by suspected herdsmen in Okpekpe Community while they were working on their farms.
“The Commissioner of Police, Betty Enekpen Otimenyin, has ordered a review of security deployment in the area to apprehend the perpetrators and prevent future attacks,” The command’s spokesman added.
