A clash between Obayantor youths in Ikpoba Okha Local Government of Edo State and soldiers have reportedly claimed the lives.

It was gathered that there has been leadership tussle in the community following the removal of the Community youth head (Okhaigele) and installed a new one.

A member of the Community who craved anonymity alleged that someone hired soldiers to the Community with a view to reclaiming the Okhaigele and that during the fracas two soldiers were killed.

He said the soldiers later came in a reprisal attack on the community killing four youth members to avenge the death of their colleagues killing four persons.

A source within the community said the soldiers came in large numbers and started firing sporadically while the people scampered for safety and killed four persons in the process.

He said the soldiers have taken over the Community harassing innocent residents who are going about their businesses.

The spokesperson of 4-brigade headquarters of the Nigeria Army Benin, Yemi Sokoya, denied the report that soldiers were hired to the community and killing of two soldiers.

“Soldiers were not hired to the community and soldiers was killed, it was not a reprisal attack but an operation base on intelligence of stockpiling arms”.

“The operation in Obayantor community was done in collaboration with Directorate of State Service. The DSS hinted us that hoodlums are stockpiling weapon and terrorising the community and the way the country is kidnapping, banditry among others) no responsible Commander will hear such and fold his hands”.

“So, we went there with the DSS who actually gave us the information and before we got there they opened fire on the troop who responded but to the glory of God we were able to clear the community and recover some arms and ammunition”.

He said the soldiers didn’t go there because of leadership tussle but on the intelligence that arms are being stockpiling there, saying they are not interested in any rivalry in the Community.

He said they recovered three English pump action gun, two AK 47 rifles, one double barrel gun 32 live cartridges, phones and Identify cars belonging to vigilante found in the pockets of the criminals.

Meanwhile, the State Command’s spokesperson, Bello Kongtons, said it was an army operation and not the police.

File: The featured photograph of Uroho Villagers protesting alleged invasion by security operatives, is used to illustrate the story.

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