From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Gunmen have reportedly killed three staff of Okomu Oil Palm Company PLC who were working on their plantation in Edo State.
The Public Relations officer of the company, Fidelis Olise, who confirmed that the incident, said it occurred on Monday.
He explained that the company enjoys a cordial relationship with the communities in the area but could not say whether members of the communities were involved in the killing, adding that the incident has been reported to the police and investigation is already ongoing.
“I can confirm to you that three of our staff were killed by gunmen on Monday while they were working on our plantation.
“We enjoy cordial relationship with the communities around us and we cannot say whether members of the communities were involved. However, the matter has been reported to the police and we hope justice will be done”, Olise said.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, said more men have been deployed by the state command to the area to forestall a repeat of the attack, saying that it was shocking that the gunmen could carry out such attack.
He said the attackers were from a neighbouring state and that efforts were on to arrest the culprits and bring them to book.
The Commissioner disclosed that the police were working with the management of Okomu to perfect ways of making the environment safer for its staff at all times.
“Preliminary findings showed that the gunmen came from the creek in a neighbouring state, which I would not like to mention. It, attack, is shocking.
“However, more men have been deployed to the area to forestall a repeat, while the police in conjunction with Okomu is working to ensure that the culprits are arrested.
“We will not allow such an occurrence to happen in the state again”, Adegboye stressed.