Timothy Omobude 
Tragedy struck Usen community in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State on Tuesday night as three persons died in a violent incident linked to alleged drug abuse.
The incident, which occurred in the late hours of Tuesday, reportedly involved a middle-aged man identified as Lakan Sunday, who allegedly attacked and killed two young men before he was eventually overpowered and killed by angry residents.
The motive behind the attack was still unclear as of the time of filing this report.
Sources in the community alleged that the late Lakan Sunday became violent after allegedly consuming excessive hard drugs, including a substance locally known as “colos”.
It was gathered that the deceased attacked his neighbours, identified as Kamilu Abbas and Tasihu Mahamadu, with a sharp cutlass at different locations within the community.
Eyewitnesses said the victims could not escape the assault, adding that the suspect allegedly beheaded the two men before turning on other passersby.
Some residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attacker also injured about five other persons before he was eventually hacked down by unidentified residents.
According to the source, “His behaviour changed recently due to alleged addiction to colos. After attacking and killing the two men, he began chasing other people in the area and injured several persons.”
The injured victims were reportedly rushed to hospital for treatment, though their condition could not be immediately confirmed.
Residents were seen in shock and fear following the incident, as many struggled to understand what could have triggered the deadly attack.
Police officers from the Iguobazuwa Division, alongside local vigilante members known as Gbolaga, were later deployed to the community to restore calm.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Adebayo Ayomide, was said to have convened a meeting with the families of the deceased victims, Abbas and Mahamadu, who agreed to bury the deceased in line with Islamic rites.
The DPO sympathised with the bereaved families and assured them that the police would investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and unravel the actual cause of the attack.
