UPDATED: Irate Youths Mistakenly Sets Five Innocent Cannabis Farmers Ablaze Thought To Be Kidnappers In Edo
REPORTS reaching Trojan news contradict earlier story published two days ago that a mob had set ablaze five suspected kidnappers along Afuze-Uokha Road in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.
It was earlier reported that brave vigilance members apprehended the kidnappers after they seized some travellers who they moved to their den in the forest.
After releasing the abducted victims, the vigilance members brought the kidnappers to the road to Uokha community initially to hand them over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.
But it was learnt surging villagers descended on the criminals and burnt then to death.
But an eyewitness account, Mr. Abiodun Bright who confided in Trojan.com.ng contradicted the earlier story. He said the Uokha Vigilante group led by their chairman and hunters association met seven of them at different spots of their farmer.
Abiodun said they introduced themselves and told them they were in search of their people kidnapped by unknown gunmen.
According to him, “They requested for water and roasted corns and were served without hesitation.
“We spoke Owan language together and they left the camp where they met me.
“A short afterwards, I saw them in a distance moving away with five of my boys who were working on the farm without any arguments.
“I later heard that five of them were shot and killed before the youths and villagers set the innocent farmers ablaze.
“We had no gun as farmers. All we have are cutlasses and hoes with which we tender our farms.
“I’m still in shock how the Vigilante group and hunters association would deliberately kill five innocent farmers and set them ablaze to prove a point”, he said.
Mr. Abiodun gave the names of the people killed as Eke from Calabar, Agbala an Ibo, Emir a Yoruba mam, while the other person is Paul and his friend whom they engage for a day job. He said Paul and his friend are Utako boys from Taraba State who does daily job in people’s farms who have been residing in Okpuje in Owan West Local Government Area.
He said the two other Calabar boys who managed to escape on the farm are Favour and Wisdom.
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