Photos: Two brothers allegedly brutalized by thugs in Edo State for defending 'helpless traders'

Two brothers, Maximus and Paulinus Okpere were assaulted in Edo State yesterday, Sept. 19th. According to their brother, who shared the photos on Facebook, the men were beaten and stabbed for for "resisting the exploitation ofpoor helpless traders in Ibviotor community". See the post below:

"See what one the man who parades himself as the chairman of Ibviotor community did to my Brothers Maximus Okere and Paulinus Okpere as he led over 20 thugs to our office complex along dumez road today to beat and stab my brothers for resisting the exploitation that the poor helpless traders in Ibviotor community are going through.

As we speak now one of my brothers is in a life threatening condition in the emergency unit of the hospital. This is the Edo state that we live in. How it all started, last week the man asked the petty traders in the community to start paying 12.000 naira to him every month, most of the women protested and refused and in the process, he went to the shops, many of which are wooden shops and shanty containers, destroyed them and throw away their food items, My brother went to one of the shops and made a video in the shop, to draw attention to the plight of these poor hepless petty traders, and for doing that video the man came today to unleash mayhem on our building. This is what Edo state has been turned into by thugs and agberos, this is the level of impunity we face everyday.

More photos below...