By Owen Eresoyen, Benin
Edo State Police Command on Wednesday said it has arrested two suspects, Pastor Ijebor Simon (45 years) and Destiny Okojabhole (23 years) over the murder of seven -year -old Evans Okojabhole.
A statement by the state Command PPRO, Moses Yamu, said the incident was reported by the deceased father, John Okojabhole of Jehovah Witness Road, off Elebesunu Street in Irrua, Edo State.
Yamu said the corpse of Evans was sighted with his stomach ripped open, his feet severed from his ankle and some fingers cut off and dumped in the bush close to their house, 24 hours after he was reported missing.
The statement read, “The Command is in receipt of a case of murder reported by one John Okhojabhole of Jehovah Witness Road, off Elebesunu Street in Irrua.
“The unfortunate incident was reported on the 22/02/2025 at about 13:45 hours, when the remains of his seven year old son, Evans Okojabhole, was sighted with his stomach ripped open, his feet from his ankle and some fingers cut off and dumped in the bush close to their house at the above named address, 24 hours after he was reported missing.
“During preliminary investigations, two suspects, Pastor Ijebor Simon (45 years) and Destiny Okojabhole (23 years), have been arrested by operatives of Irrua Divisional Headquarters and transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department Benin-City for further investigation.”
Yamu also said that three persons, lbrahim Agboje (King), Yakubu Abudulkareem and Kareem Audu have been arrested over the killing of a vigilante commander, Victor Ogedengbe (50 years) in his farm in Erah Camp, Owan East local government area.
According to the PRO, the Chairman of Owan East LGA also reported at Afuze Division that one Vigilante Commander Victor Ogedengbe (50 years) of Erah Camp was killed in his farm by suspected herdsmen and was deposited at the hospital.
He said, “Immediate investigation launched by operatives of the Afuze Division led to the arrest of three suspects, lbrahim Agboje (King), Yakubu Abudulkareem and Kareem Audu* all of Erah Community and equally transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department for further investigations.
Meanwhile, the Command has reviewed the security deployment in Uzanu and environs regarding the killing of two men by suspected herdsmen while in their farms in Okpekpe Community with a view to apprehend the perpetrators and forestall reoccurrence
