A police officer and a local tricycle spare parts dealer were injured by stray bullets following a protest in the Isihor area of Benin-Lagos Road, Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning after unrest broke out among youths who were protesting a late-night raid by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the area. The protest, allegedly involving young men suspected to be internet fraudsters, turned violent as tensions escalated.
Eyewitnesses reported that the demonstrators, angered by what they described as persistent harassment and intimidation by security operatives, vandalised a security vehicle believed to belong to a local vigilante group. A police officer was reportedly assaulted during the disturbance.
In the ensuing chaos, Mr Lucky Akoda, a tricycle spare parts dealer, was caught in the crossfire. According to a witness who spoke on condition of anonymity, Akoda was closing his shop and attempting to flee the violence when a stray bullet struck him. He and the injured police officer were both rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) for urgent medical treatment.
Shockingly, Mr Akoda was found handcuffed to his hospital bed when his wife, Mrs Benedicta Akoda, arrived to see him. She expressed dismay at the treatment of her husband, who she insists had no involvement in the protest.
“My husband is a hardworking man who has never been involved in any criminal activity. It is heartbreaking to see him being treated like a criminal when he is the victim,” she told reporters.
Community members have also voiced concern over the EFCC’s approach, urging security agencies to ensure that law-abiding citizens are not unjustly targeted or caught in the crossfire during operations.
As of press time, neither the EFCC nor the Edo State Police Command has issued an official statement regarding the raid or the subsequent violence. The condition of the injured victims remains unclear.
Get a premium automobile insurance coverage for your vehicle for as low as #15000 only and claim up to #3,000,000 in damages @Zenith Insurance To signup: WhatsApp/Call: +2349028313757
