Police begin manhunt as gunmen kill vulcaniser in Edo

The Edo State Police Command on Saturday confirmed the killing of a vulcaniser identified as Boyo along Warrake Road in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Spokesman, Moses Yamu, said the police received the report of Boyo’s death on Friday and that a manhunt for the assailants was underway.

He said, “We got the report yesterday, but the assailants, who were on a motorcycle, had already escaped. The victim was confirmed dead at the hospital.

“A manhunt for the assailants is in progress, and the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, has warned that no one involved in this mayhem will be spared.”

A trader near the scene said that two armed men arrived on a motorcycle and stopped near Boyo’s roadside workshop. The passenger dismounted, approached the unsuspecting vulcanizer who was resting at the time and fired two close-range shots before fleeing, leaving Boyo in a pool of blood.

“It all happened in an instant. The gunman didn’t utter a word; he just shot and escaped. Everyone was thrown into panic,” the trader said.

A community leader said the killing had unsettled residents of Warrake Road, where Boyo was known for being hardworking. He expressed shock that such violence could occur in what is usually a quiet area.

He added, “This is horrifying. To kill someone in broad daylight is outrageous. We urge law enforcement agencies to take immediate action.”