Masked men rape, behead woman in death

Some persons suspected to be Fulani herdsmen struck yesterday at Illah in Oshimili North Council of Delta State and beheaded a woman.

The suspects, who inflicted severe injuries on two other helpless women, were alleged to have attempted to rape the victims said to be on a fishing expedition at Otu Ngegu (Gulugulu) in Ajaji area of the agrarian community before attacking them with matchetes.

A community source explained that the women were fishing when the assailants, who were reportedly masked and dressed like herdsmen, emerged from the nearby bush, attack and attempted to rape them.

The source said the victims resisted, an action that infuriated the assailants, as one of them brought out a sharp cutlass and cut off the neck of one of the women, who died instantly.

According to him, the assailant also descended on the two other women, who managed to escape with deep cuts.

When news of the attack filtered into town, there was unease, as residents scampered for safety for fear of being victims of the onslaught of the marauding herdsmen.

The source added that the situation could have been worse, but for the intervention of the Police, who stormed the scene of the incident, making the attacker to retreat into the bush.