No less than six persons have reportedly lost their lives following a leadership tussle between rival youth groups in Obayantor community in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.
It was gathered that trouble erupted when a faction of the youth in the community reportedly led security operatives into the community over alleged possession of firearms by a rival group.
However, in the process, a soldier was allegedly killed, which provoked a reprisal in which no less than six people were killed, Daily Sun reports.
Meanwhile, the Army has denied the death of any of its personnel in the clash.
The spokesperson of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Benin, the Edo State capital, Capt. Yemi Sokoya said it never carried out a reprisal in the community, but an operation based on intelligence from the Department of State Service (DSS).
Sokoya noted that against some reports making the rounds, soldiers were not in the community because of reprisal but had received a report from the DSS about hoodlums disturbing the community, and of weapons being collected.
According to him, “we found out was true, because as soon as we got there, some of the hoodlums engaged the troop.”
He revealed that in the course of the operation, some weapons, which included two AK-47 rifles, three English pump Action guns, one double barrel, 32 cartridges, five mobile phones and an ID card belonging to the state vigilante were retrieved.
