Armed men suspected to be herdsmen have killed three people and abducted seven others at Issele-Asagba town in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State.
Also yesterday, herders attacked the Mbanyiar community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State and raped wife of the Acting District Head of Mbawa, Chief Oliver Chado and his two sisters-in-law.
Mbawa is a community in Governor Samuel Ortom’s village.
The victims in Delta State were two women allegedly killed at a guest house and a man murdered on his farm.
It was learnt that the incident occurred about 8p.m. on Wednesday pm.
The perpetrators, who were said to be shooting sporadically to scare away perceived enemies, thereafter invaded a guest house and dispersed people who were watching football match, while workers at the facility scampered for safety.
“The herdsmen have turned our community into a war zone. They came again, killed two persons at a spot and kidnapped seven. This morning, when the vigilantes were combing the bushes, they discovered another body whom they suspected to be among the seven kidnapped victims,” a source said.
The community youth leader, Comrade Edozie Ogoegbu, lamented the incessant attacks on the community by suspected herdsmen.
He said: “Our main demand to the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, is to establish a Divisional Police Station in the community. We also want the state government to stand up to its responsibilities of protecting lives and property. We are dissatisfied over the repeated attacks by killer herdsmen. We deserve to be protected.”
Edozie also regretted that eminent farmers no longer go to their farm for fear of the unknown, hence, according to him, there is famine of hunger and starvation in the community.
He said: “We are facing serious security challenges in Issele-Asagba. Our people are being killed, raped and farm produce are being destroyed on a daily basis, yet nothing is being done to stop it. We are being pushed to the wall. We may be forced to take our destiny in our hands.”
The state Commissioner of Police, Inuwa, and the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, could not be reached as several calls put across to their mobile lines were not picked.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that the 11 herders invaded Mbawa and started shooting sporadically after they chased the Acting District Head away from his house before they raped his wife.
The herdsmen, who were said to be heavily armed with sophisticated weapons, also reportedly destroyed crops stored in food barns.
Chado, who confirmed the incident to journalists, disclosed that the herdsmen last week invaded the community and killed many domestic animals including goats, pigs and chickens and took others away alive.
The district head said the herdsmen attacked his home about 2a.m., but he was able to escape alive and unhurt, while his wife and two of his in-laws were mercilessly tortured and raped.
He said: “Since the incident happened, I have not seen my wife and the two other in-laws, but the Livestock Guards who have gone to the area told me they were tortured and raped, but not killed.
“I have reported the matter to police and sent transport to go and convey them back to Daudu where I am now taking refuge.”
Chado added that the herdsmen also uprooted their cassava and used the melon and yam from his barn to feed their cows.
He said: “The herdsmen are settled at Uvir in Mbabai. They usually come from there to attack our people.
“When they came last week, they chased away my people at Tse-Agudu and settled there. Tse-Agudu is less than a kilometre from my house.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Catherine Sewuese Anene, said he was yet to receive the report at the time of filling this report.
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