Ika Timbers Association in Agbor, Delta State, on Thursday, urged Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to urgently address the recent attacks on her members at the Okwahi Hill area of Edo State.

 The association which made the appeal through her Public Relations Officer, Mr Bointa Julius and Secretary, Mr Uche Okoh stated that the attacks started in January this year when members of the association started getting customers from Benin-City.

Açcording to the association, vehicles loaded in Agbor with planks by customers from Benin-City are always attacked and seized at Okwuahi and they are not released until huge amounts of money are paid to the attackers, a development they described as unacceptable and bad.

The statement reads: “Before now, we patronized timber dealers in Benin-City and their vehicles loaded with planks were never attacked or seized in Agbor. We allowed their vehicles to discharge their planks without any hitch. Unfortunately, reverse has become the case since we stopped going to Benin-City to buy planks and Agbor started having customers from Benin-City. Goods conveying our planks are usually hijacked at Okwahi and taken to the Palm House where we will be forced to pay heavily for the released of the vehicles and planks. In Agbor, we have maintained free working relationship with our colleagues from Benin-City, but we are wondering why we are not treated well by them. Therefore, we are appealing to Governor Obaseki to come to our rescue by assisting to put an end to the issue.”