Gunmen shot dead three members of the Edo State Security Network in Okhun Community, Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state on Thursday night.

The hoodlums numbering over 10 according to eyewitnesses invaded the community and shot the victims who were on duty.

Some of the eyewitnesses said the attack is connected with leadership tussle in the community, while others suspected it to be cult reprisal attack.

Also, a member of the Emergency Social Safety Net, who introduced himself simply as ‘commander Small Baba, confirmed the incident in a viral video.

Commander Small Baba said, “today (Thursday night), we got an information that some hoodlums were shooting sporadically in Okhun Community.

“We swung into action immediately upon receiving the information. But we were attacked by the hoodlums. They killed three of my men in the process.

“I was also shot by the hoodlums, but I managed to escape”, Small Baba, who sustained wound on his right hand said.

It would be recalled that two persons were recently killed in Okhun Community which later snowballed into a cult war in Benin as now fewer than 10 persons lost their lives during the war.