The people of Ekiugbo Village, a community in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State, have cried for the intervention of the state Commissioner of Police in the face off they are having with some of their kiths and kins.
In their petition the Ekiugbo people said, “the former Odionwere of our village, Pa. Alex Omoigui died in December 2015. As it is the custom in Bini Kingdom, Pa. Igbinokhuihe Omoruyi was the next in line of succession. The Okhuaihe priesthood is not by inheritance and as such the Okhuaihe priest is the number two.”
They disclosed that when the demise of Pa Omoigui was brought to the notice of the Benin monarch he ordered the Okhuaihe priest to act as the Odionwere until the necessary rites were performed to pace way for the installation of Pa Igbinokhuaihe Omoruyi as a substitute Odionwere for about three years.
Going further, the petitioners stated that Pa Omoruyi was installed as the Odionwere of Ekiugbo Village on 10th October, 2019 and as the third anniversary celebration was going on on 10th October, 2021 “about ten vehicles loaded with hoodlums fully armed with sophisticated weapons and matchetes suddenly speared.
“They drove straight to the Odionwere’s house and chased everybody including the invited guests who had arrived into the bush. Among members of the community on the side of the chief priest who led the invading thugs and mercenaries were Messr. Joshua Iyoha, Mathias Sylvester and others. One Osakpamwan Eriyo(aka Nomoless) spearheaded the invasion.
“They burnt the community town hall, they also burnt cars of Messr. Amowie and Lucky Omoruyi.”
Eriyo refused to pick several calls made to his hotline to respond to the allegations made against him in the petition.
Community pleads for police intervention in crisis
