The victims
By Chukwudi Ebele
It was a horrific sight Monday afternoon at Km 1 Asaba -Benin Expressway ASABA as a man allegedly invaded the Hausa quarters with about fifteen trucks of armed thugs suspected to be vigilantes to forcefully eject lawful tenants of one Mr Kingsley Ijebuonwu which resulted in the death of four persons and about five others sustaining several degrees of injury.
Speaking to our correspondent, the Chairman of Abraka quarters, Asaba, Alhaji Auwalu Dalhatu, flanked by the Caretaker of the KM 1 Asaba – Benin Expressway, Dalha Mohammad said that on Friday, November 21, 2025 the suspect in company of some thugs and vigilantes came threatening them to vacate the premises or face the consequences claiming that they were working for a political bigwig (name withheld).
Dalhatu said: “When they accosted us on Friday saying they would be back to forcefully eject us, we told them we have a photocopy of judgement given to us by our landlord.
“We notified the B Division Police DPO of their threats presenting photocopies of our landlord’s court judgements. The DPO told us to notify them should they come back because it is only the court that has right to eject a tenant from a property.
“We waited for them on Friday only for them to come this afternoon with about fifteen vehicles full of armed thugs and vigilantes. They started shooting at us without provocation and killed three of my Hausa brothers.
“Those killed today include Kabiru Abdullahi, Mohammed and we deposited their remains at Federal Medical Center Asaba while Muzan, Baba Ado and others are receiving treatment at St Rebecca’s hospital, Asaba where bullets are being extracted from their bodies.
“The invaders claimed that they were sent by a political bigwig to come and eject the tenants and we told them that our landlord, Mr Ijebuonwu, has a court judgment which we presented to them,”Dalhatu said.
In a swift reaction when contacted, the landlord of the disputed land, Mr Ijebuonwu, traced the history of the land to when his father, Christopher Ijebuonwu acquired the land and had one Chief Uwadibia from Iselleukwu as tenant.
“Later Uwadibia started claiming ownership and in the process he died and his wife, Gloria and son, brought in one Nkeweshe who went and allegedly brought a forged (C of O) that bears Francis Torlowei and used his own passport to impose on the passport. This is another forgery case already in court.
“We had earlier complained to the Commissioner of Police and had two court judgments on two occasions in our favour on the land.
Counsel to the landlord, Charles Obodozie Esq. said that it was unfortunate that people would go the extent of committing murder, taking laws into their hands in a matter in court with two previous judgements already against them, saying that it was only the court that has right to eject a tenant. He said that he has only sent a report about the incident to DSS.
Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Bright Edafe, said that he was not aware of the deaths but aware of injuries arising from process of executing a court order.
He added, however, that the State Police command is investigating the matter and pledged to call back later.
