By Jethro Ibileke
Widow of Ehinoma Solomon who was shot dead by suspected cultists on Sunday, 9 July, has narrated how her husband was killed in her presence and her three children, right in front of a popular church after the close of service.
The daredevil hoodlums said to be about 10 in number, apparently laid ambush for their victim while the church service lasted.
Ehinoma who is popularly kniwn as Ehis, was a business man and the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Oke-Oroma Community in Ikpoba Okha LGA of Edo State, an area notorious for land grabbing where rival cult gangs are also currently engaged in a fierce fight.
He was one of about 10 people shot dead in the clashes between the cult gangs.
Narrating the ugly incident, the traumatized Mrs. Osareniye Solomon, disclosed that worshipers who were right inside the church, preparing to start a meeting at the end of service dashed for cover when the suspected killers shot sporadically into the air to scare people away.
She said some of the worshipers also received bullets wounds.
She disclosed that the assailants waited patiently for her husband to close from the church at about 11 am and was heading home before they struck him down.
Mrs Solomon said that her deceased husband had left the church after he politely apologized that he would not be able to attend an adult meeting called by the pastor, as he had another schedule.
But she said soon after he left with her little daughter tailing him to collect something for the wife from his car parked a few metres away, the assailants opened fire on him.
According to her, “A gun shot rang out close to where he parked his car immediately he stepped out of the door and my daughter ran back inside the church. My husband also tried to run back, but he was shot and he fell down.
“When I looked outside I saw over ten young men surrounding my husband’s car. It was right in front of the church that they fatally shot my husband and also butchered him with a machete after they shot him dead.”
She added that after the shooting, they took his mobile phone and ATM card from his pocket before hurriedly zooming off in a car.
Mrs Solomon whi is now turned widow, disclosed that the husband had a premonition of his death as he showed him a text message which clearly stated that he and two other persons in the small community have been marked to be killed, three days before he was gruesomely murdered by the unknown assailants.
Meanwhile, the Edo State House of Assembly has condemned the recent upsurge in cult-related killings in the state capital.
Members of the Assembly while deliberating on a motion to that effect, sponsored by the Member Representing Oredo East Constituency, Hon Uyi Frank Omosigho, called on the state government and security agencies to put a stop to it.
