Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin, with agency report
A communal clash between Usumtong and Ebom communities in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State, has killed two farmers from Ebom community.
Village head of Ebom, Chief Sunday Obite, on Sunday, disclosed that one Oti Ato and his son were allegedly beheaded by people from Usumtong village on Saturday.
Obite said: “The man and his family were harvesting cassava when they were attacked by the Usumutong people.
“According to the grandson, who is currently receiving treatment in the hospital in Itigidi, he saw them behead his grandfather and father, from his hiding place in the bush.
“They even made the wife, Eliza Oti, watch while they beheaded her husband and her son and asked her to take the message to her people.
“We believed that since soldiers were present, peace had returned but we have been proven wrong; once again. Even as they steal our farm produce, we kept mute but now, they have started again by killing a father and his son, in the presence of the wife.”
Confirming the incident, the Police/Public Relations Officer in Cross River, DSP Irene Ugbo, said: “We are aware of the killings and the Commissioner of Police has deployed men there.”
The PPRO further said the community leaders have also been invited to meet with the commissioner of police; for further deliberation.
Meanwhile, a final year student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), whose identity is yet to be confirmed, has reportedly committed suicide by jumping down from the second floor of a hostel building.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening, at the Faculty of Arts. The deceased was said to be a student of the Department of Actuarial Science, Faculty of Management Sciences.
As at the time of filing this report, it was not clear if the deceased left a suicide note.
It was, however, gathered that the victim, who was supposed to have graduated before now, had a spillover.
Efforts to get confirmation from the Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Michael Osasuyi, failed, as calls made to his mobile phone failed to connect.
Recently, a 21-year-old student of the university, Christabel Buoro, also committed suicide, allegedly over a failed love affair.
The lifeless body of the 300-level student of Medical Laboratory Science was discovered four weeks ago, at her hostel, located on Plot 4 Uwaifo Lane, off Newton Street, Ekosodin, a sprawling students’ community behind the university’s main campus.