SUSPECTED gunmen have shot dead a senior palace chief in Iduah Kingdom, located in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, and kidnapped two of his daughters.
The deceased, Chief Jimah Jacob Ogboi, was attacked at his residence on Monday night.
According to sources within the community, the assailants stormed the home and opened fire on him at close range.
His wife was reportedly assaulted with machetes and other weapons during the incident, leaving her with serious injuries.
One of the victim’s sons, Lucky, said he was away briefly to purchase an item when the attack occurred.
He explained that he received a call informing him that his father had been shot.
On returning home, he found his mother in critical condition and discovered that his two sisters had been taken by the attackers.
A source in the community disclosed that the incident led to an emergency meeting of elders to discuss strategies for securing the release of the abducted daughters and addressing the circumstances surrounding the attack.
The traditional ruler of the community, HRH Alhaji Amedu Momoh, called on the Edo State Government and security agencies to urgently strengthen security in the area.
He revealed that about four armed men carried out the attack and noted that officers of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies had since visited the community.
The monarch appealed for government support, stating that although the community had experienced relative peace in recent times, the attackers appeared to have regrouped.
He also raised concerns about what he described as increasing assaults on farmlands by suspected herdsmen.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, CSP Eno Ikoedem, said investigations were ongoing.
She added that the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, alongside other senior officers, was in Ekpoma to assess the situation and prevent further attacks.
