Hoodlums kill herdsman, throw corpse into river

Rampaging hoodlums in Emu-Ebendo community, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta have allegedly killed a herdsman, Haruna Mohammed in an encounter which occurred on Sunday evening in the area.

Though the incident is reportedly generating tension, it was gathered that the unidentified hoodlums after allegedly killing the herdsman, threw the body into a flowing river within the community.

A source said the hoodlums ran into the herdsman and his cattle within the bush part in their ambush attempt to rob unsuspecting persons, when quarrel ensured.

The herdsman was said to have attacked them with his bows, unfortunately for him, the hoodlums overpowered him and shot him on the spot where he gave up the ghost.

It will be recalled that some suspected assailants had in January 2017, allegedly slaughtered two cows belonging to the herdsmen around uncompleted building in the community and took the meat away.

But in a swift reaction, the Police Commissioner in the state, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, confirmed that the body of the herdsman was recovered in the flowing river by some residents of the community who had gone to fetch drinking water, adding some persons were also arrested in connection with the act and warned that the police will bring any hoodlums or herdsman caught in the breach of law to book.

“We will deal with hoodlums/herdsman who breached the law, our men are everywhere to comb and bring to book trouble makers” the police boss added.

He said that the suspects were apprehended at Umusati after a sustained intelligence gathering by combined team of the police in Abbi Division and men of the Local Vigilante team, adding that investigation was ongoing.
In another development, women in Umusam community, Utagba-Ogbe kingdom, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of the state, have called on the state and federal governments to come to their aid over alleged herdsmen menace in the community.

The women, reports said numbering over 5, 000 yesterday thronged into the farm lands searching for the cattle rearers who had allegedly destroyed the farm crops, unfortunately the cattle rearers escaped with their cattle.
Speaking to our reporter on telephone, Chief Patrick Igwe, paramount leader of the community, explained that the women took to the protest in the farm lands following the wanton destruction of their farm crops, especially cassava.

He said that peasant farming had remained the major occupation of the people, regretting the havoc allegedly done to their farms by the cattle rearers, and pleaded with the state government and law enforcement agents to intervene as well as evacuate the herdsmen and their cattle out of their bush.

At Kwale Police Station, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr. Emmanuel Ogbuanya confirmed that he had invited the Fulani herdsmen for a ‘peace talk’ last Thursday, adding that the leader of the Umusam, Madam Ngbor Odezeh Onwuka allegedly disrupted the peace talk after she had shouted herself down, and the herdsmen left in anger. He however called for a peaceful co-existence as the police will do their best to protect lives and property in the community.