Tension has further gripped Adoloseimo II community in Arogbo Kingdom following the grim discovery of the body of Mr. Abeke Okiriji, one of the men earlier declared missing after a violent clash with the dreaded Abere-Kokotoru people. His corpse was found floating in Abere River on Friday, August 22, 2025, worsening fears of renewed hostilities in the troubled region.
The Missing and the Search Party Ambush
Community sources revealed that on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Okiriji joined a group of Adoloseimo II residents who went into the bush to search for relatives reported missing after a massacre allegedly carried out by Kokotoru assailants. While some of the earlier attacked victims managed to return home with severe injuries, two men did not return one Mr. , prompting the search party.
However, the search turned tragic when the team was reportedly ambushed by Kokotoru gunmen, who opened fire indiscriminately. The attack left Mr. Tonwerigha Nopro badly injured with a gunshot wound to his leg, while his colleague, Mr. Muleboh Dein, narrowly escaped unharmed.
Survivor’s Harrowing Account
Speaking from his recovery point, Mr. Nopro narrated the terrifying ordeal. He said he and Mr. Dein were cutting Alamoletimber when four masked men armed with guns, spears, and battle axes invaded the bush.
“Around 8 a.m., four men from Abere-Kokotoru stormed the area. One of them pointed a gun at me and fired; the bullet struck my leg. He raised his cutlass to butcher me, but another member of the group cautioned him, and he dropped it,” Nopro recounted.
According to him, another assailant attempted to shoot Mr. Dein, but the weapon failed to discharge, giving his colleague the chance to flee.
“Despite my injury, I crawled into hiding. From there, I heard them chanting Egbema Egbesu songs and destroying our canoes with axes.
They kept saying they would tie and abduct anyone they found in the bush,” he added.
Nopro said he later reunited with Dein, and together they struggled through the waterways until they managed to return to Adoloseimo II late Tuesday night. On their way back, they encountered several kinsmen wounded by gunshots from Kokotoru attackers while searching for them.
The Grim Discovery
While Nopro survived to tell his story, the fate of others remained uncertain. The corpse of Mr. Abeke Okiriji was later recovered in Abere River yesterday 22nd, August, 2025 and deposited in a nearby mortuary. Sadly, Mr. Ediseimokuh Tonwerigha is still missing as of the time of filing this report, raising grave concerns within the community.
Calls for Government Intervention
The discovery has plunged Adoloseimo II into mourning, with families grieving their dead, tending to the injured, and desperately searching for the missing. Community leaders have appealed to security agencies and relevant authorities to take urgent steps to prevent further bloodshed and restore peace.
As tensions escalate between the two neighboring communities, fear and uncertainty continue to grip residents, who now live under the shadow of violence and loss.
