What began as a festive celebration in Ogute-Oke community, Estako East Local Government Area of Edo State, ended in tragedy after a disagreement over a young woman escalated into a deadly clash that left one man beheaded and seven houses razed.
The shocking incident occurred shortly after residents gathered to celebrate the annual Olimi Festival and the burial ceremony of a prominent chief in the community.
Sources said tensions flared during a party organised as part of the celebrations when two men reportedly became involved in a dispute over a girl.
A community source, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Monday, said the disagreement quickly turned violent.
“Trouble started in the community during a party to celebrate the burial of a popular chief in the locality.
“A guy became annoyed that another guy was dancing with the girl he brought to the party. The guy reportedly used a cutlass to inflict injury on the neck of the other guy which led to his death,” the source said.
The killing triggered outrage among relatives and associates of the deceased, who were said to have launched reprisal attacks on the community where the suspected attacker resided.
In the aftermath, seven houses were reportedly set ablaze as frightened residents fled the area to avoid being attacked or arrested by security operatives.
Confirming the incident, Edo State Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Godwin Eshieshie, who hails from the community, described the development as unfortunate and unnecessary.
According to him, the violence erupted after a misunderstanding during the celebration.
“They were celebrating. In the process, a guy was engaging a girl when another guy came from behind and started dancing. They have issues and one went to get a cutlass. He used the cutlass on another person not connected to their quarrel. They took the injured guy to the hospital and he was confirmed dead,” Eshieshie said.
He condemned both the killing and the retaliatory destruction of property, noting that community leaders had stepped in to restore calm.
“The families of the deceased carried out reprisal attacks and burnt houses. No quarrel warranted the cutlass. Our elders have calmed down the situation. I planned to visit the community as quickly as possible,” he added.
The incident has reportedly forced several residents to flee the community amid fears of further violence and possible arrests.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Edo State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the command’s spokesperson, CSP Eno Ikoedem, could not be reached at the time of filing this report.
The incident has once again highlighted the deadly consequences of unresolved disputes and the growing concern over violent reprisals in local communities.
