Mob burns down Edo police station over boy’s death

The mob was said to have been triggered by the kidnap and killing of a young boy in their locality.

Residents of Agenebode, the administrative headquarters of Etsako East Local Government Area in Edo State, on Sunday, October 13, 2024, took drastic action after the kidnapping and murder of a local boy, setting fire to a police station in protest.

Sources in the area recounted that the unrest began when a young boy was abducted weeks earlier. Despite his family paying a ransom, the boy was never released, leading to suspicions that he had been killed.

The community’s youth, determined to find answers, tracked the boy’s phone to a suspect, who was apprehended and handed over to the police.

The situation escalated when the suspect allegedly led the youths to the house of a Fulani leader in the area. There, he reportedly confessed to participating in a network that kidnapped and killed victims, often harvesting their organs.

The youths, in a search for further evidence, dug up a shallow grave on the Fulani leader’s property, discovering the decomposed body of the boy alongside several other human remains.

Outraged by the discovery, the crowd set fire to the house of the Fulani leader, whose whereabouts were unknown, before turning their anger toward the police. The police station was also set ablaze, as the community vented its frustration over the perceived complicity of authorities in the kidnappings.

One resident explained the motivations behind the unrest, saying, “Enough is enough. The police kill our children and still take money from us. These kidnappers abduct our children, collect money, and then kill them. They take ₦2.5 million, sometimes ₦3 million, and still kill the victims.”

In response, the Chairman of Etsako East Local Government, Benedicta Atoh, said she was too shaken to comment, according to one of her aides.

The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) for Zone 5, Arungwa Udo, and the Commissioner of Police, Nemi Edwin-Iwo, have since visited the area to assess the situation and restore order.

Edo Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Moses Yamu acknowledged the incident and promised a response but has not provided further details.