Herdsmen kill man, shoot daughter, abduct wife in Delta community

As cultists invade police post
Again, herdsmen have killed one man, shot his daughter and abducted the wife, after hours of sporadic shootings at Isele-Azagba Community in Aniocha North Council Area of Delta State.

This followed reported arrest of some suspects in connection with the February 5, 2020 incident and one week after one of two persons abducted from the community was found dead near his house, as unidentified gunmen struck again at night.

A source at the palace of the traditional ruler of Isele-Azagba, HRM Francis Ijieh, told journalists that, “The gunmen operated virtually unchallenged, as a team of policemen only arrived the area about midnight, hours after the invaders had disappeared with the wife of the deceased, said to be an Urhobo.”

He, however, commended the efforts of vigilance groups from Issele-Azagba and the neighboring Utulu Community who, he said, did their best to resist the attacks, but only after the damage had been done.

“The injured girl was initially treated at a local clinic before being transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Asaba to extract bullets from her body.

“It was the second time this month that a similar attack took place on Wednesday, February 5, 2020, in which two men were killed,” the source said.

One of the deceased victims of that attack, Sebastine Kadiri, was abducted that night along with a female student, who was freed four days later after her parents paid a huge sum as ransom.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) at the Delta Police Command, Mrs. Onome Onovwakpoyeya, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), confirmed the incident, assuring that the police were, however, on the trail of the criminals in effort to rescue the kidnapped woman.

The suspects included a native of Issele-Azagba, believed to be working with some herdsmen terrorising the Issele-Azagba/Utulu/Akwukwu-Igbo/Issele-Uku axis of Delta North.

Many residents of Isele-Azagba, especially women and children, who thought peace had returned to the community, were sighted fleeing again on Monday having fled earlier following news that armed Fulani herdsmen had attacked the town on February 5.

Meanwhile, a group of cultists reportedly invaded the base of ‘Operation Safe Delta’ a formation of the Delta State Police Command in Isele-Azagba, near Asaba, the state capital.

A community source, who craved anonymity said the incident occurred in the early hours of yesterday, as the invaders attempted to free one of their members, who was being detained by the police.

The cultists, who were reported to be members of Vikings confraternity stormed the police base with over 15 cars, but were overpowered by men and officers of the force.

Commissioner of Police (CP), Hafiz Inuwa, who confirmed the incident, said his men arrested seven of the cultists with arms.

“The seven arrested suspects had already confessed that they are members of the cult group, who invaded the Operation Safe Delta command in an attempt to rescue one of their members, but they were rounded up by our operatives,” he stated.