Seven Dead in Violent Clash Between Cocoa Farmers and Suspected Thieves in Edo State

The death toll from a violent clash between cocoa farmers and suspected thieves in Gbelemotin, Ovia South-West Local Government Area, Edo State, has risen to seven, the police have confirmed.

The violence, which started on Thursday night and escalated on Friday morning, has left at least six others injured, according to a statement from the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu. The injured are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

The confrontation began when an Ikale cocoa farmer employed vigilantes to protect his farm, which had been repeatedly raided by suspected Izon youths. During a patrol, the vigilantes allegedly killed four of the suspected thieves, sparking a retaliatory attack by the Izon youths on Friday. Local residents say the fighting resulted in further casualties, with some houses set on fire.

“There was fighting in my area on Friday, and many are feared dead. Vigilantes hired by an Ikale man killed four Izon boys two nights ago. The boys were allegedly stealing cocoa from the farm,” an anonymous source said. “The retaliatory attack led to more deaths and destruction. Some bodies are still lying in the bushes, and houses have been burned down.”

Security agents, including soldiers and police, were deployed to the area on Friday to restore order. However, many bodies remain unaccounted for, and the full scale of the destruction is yet to be confirmed.

In an updated statement issued on Sunday, Yamu confirmed that seven people had been killed and six others were receiving medical treatment. “On February 21, 2025, at about 10:00hrs, the command received a distress call about an ongoing clash between the Gbelemotin and Madotti communities. Operatives from the Iguobazuwa Police Division, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and vigilantes, were promptly deployed,” he said.

The situation is now reportedly under control, but Yamu added that an investigation into the cause of the clash is ongoing.

Edo State’s Commissioner of Police, Betty Otimenyin, has promised a thorough investigation and urged residents to resolve grievances through lawful means, rather than resorting to violence.