By: Jerome Osas, BENIN CITY.

Suspected gunmen have killed one Mr. Edwando Edward Erhabor in a violent night-time attack in Ulemon, a remote community in Edo State, triggering panic and heightened insecurity that forced some residents, including women and children, to flee the area.

Mr. Erhabor was a local politician, business executive and husband of Mrs. Bisi Ifueko Erhabor, who was reportedly shot dead in the early hours of July 16, 2019, when armed men stormed his residence under circumstances that remain unclear.

According to local sources, on the night of the incident, Mrs. Erhabor, her visiting relative Mrs. Imuetiyan Endurance Obazee, and several children were away from the house attending an all-night church vigil. While they were absent, the assailants reportedly invaded the residence.
Witnesses said the attackers opened fire on Mr. Erhabor, who died at the scene before help could arrive.

The women reportedly returned from the vigil later that morning to discover the incident, plunging the household and the wider community into shock and fear.

Following the killing, tension escalated in Ulemon as residents expressed serious concerns over their safety amid rumours of further attacks. The atmosphere of insecurity reportedly worsened in the days that followed, prompting some families to leave the area.

Meanwhile, the Edo State Police Command, in a statement made available to journalists in Benin City, confirmed the incident but stated that investigations into the murder were ongoing.

Residents have appealed to security agencies to urgently investigate the killing of Mr. Erhabor, bring the perpetrators to justice, and restore peace to the troubled community.