Gunmen have killed three staff members of Okomu Oil Palm Company PLC in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State. 

 The victims were killed while working on the company’s plantation on Monday, May 6, 2024. 

The Public Relations Officer of the company, Fidelis Olise, who confirmed this to Punch on Tuesday, said the killing was done by “unknown persons.”

He stated the company enjoyed a cordial relationship with the host communities in the area, noting that he could not say whether members of the communities were involved in the attack.

Olise said the incident had been reported the the police and an investigation was already going on.

“I can confirm to you that three of our staff members were killed by gunmen on Monday while they were working on our plantation,” he said. 

“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,” he added

The state Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, said more men had been deployed by the state command to the area to forestall a repeat of the attack, noting that it was shocking that the gunmen could carry out such an attack

The CP said the attackers were from a neighbouring state, noting that efforts were on to arrest the culprits and bring them to book.

Adegboye also said that the police were working with the management of Okomu Oil 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. The attack is shocking,” he stated. 

“However, more men have been deployed to the area to forestall a repeat, while the police in conjunction with Okomu Oil are working to ensure that the culprits are arrested. We will not allow such an occurrence to happen in the state again.”