Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
More than a week after heavily armed men began patrolling the streets of Ugbineh in Ovia North‑East Local Government Area, the community has been emptied. Men, women and children have fled into the surrounding bush, forced out by the sound of machine‑gun fire and the sight of masked gunmen who, according to residents, are acting on the orders of a man at the centre of a long‑running leadership struggle. As of Saturday, 2 May 2026, the village has become a “ghost town”, a resident told SaharaReporters. Only the alleged leader of the armed group and his masked companions remain, patrolling a community that once bustled with farmers, traders and families.
The siege began on Monday, 27 April, and by the end of the week the toll was severe. A resident who spoke on condition of anonymity told SaharaReporters that at least nine people have suffered serious gunshot wounds. Those injured have no access to proper medical care because the armed group remains in control of the village, while the displaced try to survive in the forest with little food or shelter. The same resident accused the Nigeria Police of negligence, stating that authorities were formally notified before the attack but did nothing. “Those that should be protecting lives and properties of citizens are now the weapon fashioned against the same people,” the resident said.
The violence has deep roots. Ugbineh has been torn by a dispute over the position of Okaeghele, the community’s youth leader. Dominic Edobor, named by residents as the alleged leader of the armed group, was removed from that post by the Odionwere (community head) after being accused of financial impropriety, illegal land sales and high‑handedness. Edobor has fought the removal in court and, according to residents, has since resorted to “violence and charms” to sustain what they call a “self‑imposed” authority. A 2024 press release from Edo Civil Society Organisations confirmed that Edobor was sacked as youth leader and later used law enforcement agencies to harass community members who opposed him. The matter was still pending in a high court at Okada as of mid‑2024, but the community says the legal process has not stopped the armed occupation.
The police response has been limited and contradictory. When SaharaReporters contacted the Edo State Police Command’s spokesperson, ASP Eno Nkereuwem Ikoedem, her phone lines were switched off. A senior officer who was not authorised to speak to the press said the situation was “being monitored”. No arrests have been reported, and there is no indication that officers have been deployed to dislodge the armed group or secure the area for residents to return. The silence has deepened the sense of abandonment among the displaced villagers, who are now questioning whether they should take up arms to defend themselves.
The attack has not only emptied Ugbineh but also drawn attention to the fragility of community governance in parts of Edo State. The Okaeghele system, originally intended to channel youth energy into development, has in some communities become a source of violent rivalry. In 2024, the Edo State Government moved to ban the activities of Okaegheles across Edo South, following widespread complaints that youth leaders had turned themselves into “law” and were threatening residents. Yet in Ugbineh, the dispute over the position has escalated to the point of armed occupation.
For now, the survivors of the assault remain scattered in the surrounding forests. Those with gunshot wounds have no access to hospitals. The army of displaced families has no tent, no food distribution, no official recognition. The community that once sent its children to school and took its harvest to market is now a place where only armed men walk. And the only official word from the police is that the situation is being watched. The wounded wait. The displaced pray. And the gunmen stay.
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