In a shocking incident in Edo State, a 56-year-old farmer, Henry Oyagbomwan, was gruesomely murdered and buried in a shallow grave by five of his farm workers. The tragic event took place in Igueze village, located in the Ovia North East Local Government Area.

According to police reports, Henry had recently sold pineapple produce worth N900,000 from his farm. The farm workers who assisted with the sale reportedly collected the money on his behalf. However, shortly after the sale, the workers turned against their employer, killed him, and proceeded to flee in different directions.

Following the murder, the assailants reportedly contacted the victim’s family and demanded a ransom of N60 million. The family, however, insisted on speaking with their Patriarch before making any payments. Subsequently, the kidnappers lowered their demand to N300,000 and cut off all communication after receiving the money.

The police response was swift. The anti-kidnapping squad pursued the suspects, eventually tracking one of them, Bassey Umeh, to a creek in Akwa Ibom State, where he was arrested. Umeh reportedly admitted to having killed the victim and led police to the location of Henry’s shallow grave.

Henry’s son, Festus, expressed concern that the other suspects’ cellphone signals had been switched off, making it difficult to apprehend all involved. The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, confirmed that efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining fleeing suspects.

This tragic incident underscores the dangers that can arise in rural communities and highlights the importance of vigilance and security in agricultural settings.