*HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ESCAPE DEATH IN THE HAND OF IYOWA CDA CHAIRMAN, ETINOSA IGHODARO:*

…adopted and brutalised activist struggles for life

…EDOCSO fumes

…commissioner’s representive scampered for life

What was expected to be a peaceful resolution between Iyowa and Igueikhimwin community by a conflict resolution committee became a narrow escape from death in the hands of a CDA chairman of Iyowa community, one Ambassador Etinosa Ighodaro.

There have been lingering conflicts on the issue of boundaries between the two communities for quite sometime which necessitated the elders of Igueikhimwin community to write a petition to Edo Civil Society Organisations for intervention in order to avoid blood bath.

The Coordinator General of EDOCSO, Leftist Omobude Agho assigned some of our members headed by an executive council member to investigate and fashion out possible peaceful resolution for both communities. The Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs was informed of the development and he offered himself towards actualizing a peaceful resolved of the boundary question.

Several meetings were held at the instances of the commissioner and resolutions were reached as well. Some were held in the exact area under dispute while others were held in locations outside both communities that the communities participated in.

On the 11th of June, 2020, it was agreed in a previous meeting that representatives of both communities, the commissioner and members of the EDOCSO are to go back to the area under dispute and map out the extent of encroachment and other on-the-spot findings.

Not sooner that the aforementioned converge at the disputed area with the representive of the commissioner, that Etinosa Ighodaro and his thugs started to unleash mayhem on Igueikhimwin community members and the human rights activists present with gunshots and the use of other dangerous weapons. Others were able to scamper for safety as the attack persists. The commissioner’s representive narrowly escaped the unprovoked attack.

Three members of Igueikhimwin and a human rights activist were adopted and whisked away by some fiece looking persons who came in an unmarked vehicle bearing AK47, shooting sporadically into the air. The four persons adopted were given the beating of their lives using all manner of dangerous weapons and gun butts. They later took them to Etinosa Ighodaro’s resident in Iyowa community where they detained them four hours before the activist was able to escape with serious bodily harms and blood gushing out of his mouth. The activist is currently struggling for his life due to the level of attack on him.

As it stands today, the whereabout of the other three persons who are members of Igueikhimwin community is unknown.

In recent time, there have been protests from Igueikhimwin community and the Odionwere and elders of Iyowa community against the activities and high handedness of Etinosa Ighodaro which have aired on ITV.

As it is now, EDOCSO will not allow one man to become a terror in Edo state no matter highly placed he is. We are out this time to demonstrate that, the activities of CDA has been proscribed in Edo state by the help of the Oba of Benin kingdom, Oba Ewuare II. We will mobilize all our members across the state in ensuring that justice is done and everyone’s rights are protected. It should be noted that, the said Etinosa Ighodaro is the current APC local government chairman of Ovia North East.

Our strategic team are currently meeting to come up with the direction of treating the life threatening CDA activities Etinosa Ighodaro and his band of armed thugs have displayed. We are sure of treating this case in the coming days same way we joined NBA in handling that of Afro’s family recently.

Leftist Osazee Edigin
Public Relations Officer
Edo Civil Society Organisations