Two feared killed in herdsmen attack in Delta community

• Anti-cult group, suspected cult members clash

No fewer than two persons were feared killed in a clash between suspected herdsmen and residents of Omumu community in Ika South Local Council of Delta State last week.

Reports said the victims allegedly engaged the suspected herdsmen in the farmlands where crops worth thousands of naira were destroyed by the cattle.

But the immediate past chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the community, Chief Joel Obuchi, said the situation currently being faced by its residents portends bad omen and called on the state government to look into the problem.

Regretting that the suspected herdsmen had wreaked untold havoc in the community, Obuchi said the cattle rearers have turned many farms in the community to grazing land, adding that if urgent steps were not taken by security agents to curb their activities, it might spell civil conflict between the cattle rearers and their host communities.

In a swift reaction, the Police Commissioner in the state, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, confirmed the incident, adding that the police were on top of the situation with the arrest of some persons who are connected with the crisis currently being detained for investigation.

It was gathered that the victims were allegedly attacked by the herdsmen after both sides were engaged in verbal crossfire, leading to a serious shouting match that eventually ended in the use of dangerous weapons.

In another development, there was pandemonium in Obeaka area of Obiaruku as residents of the area scampered to safety following a clash between members of an anti-cult group in Obiaruku and suspected Eiye cult group that left one injured.

Although The Guardian was yet to ascertain the cause of the clash and the name of the injured victim, who is a member of the anti-cult group, both sides were locked in a fierce battle brandishing various weapons like knives, broken bottles, and wood.

The men were said to have held the suspected Eiye member by the trouser after a minor disagreement between an indigene and the cultist, following which, the indigene reported to the anti-cult group, who thereafter apprehended him.

It was gathered that while the anti-cult group was taking the suspected cult member to their secretariat for quizzing and disciplinary actions, the boy had sent a text message to his group, who immediately charged to the scene with weapons and attacked the anti-cult group, who were not prepared for the counter-attack, but managed to resist the cultists.

The attack, it was learnt, left one of the anti-cult member injured, while the suspected cultists were able to whisk their member away from the scene.