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Youths barricade Asaba-Benin expressway as herdsmen kill two in Delta community

By Sony Neme, Asaba
08 May 2020   |   4:01 am
There was pandemonium on the Benin-Asaba-Onitsha expressway yesterday, as youths from Okpanam in Oshimili North Council Area of Delta State, barricaded the highway over the killing of two vigilante members by herdsmen.

FRSC, police arrest violators of lockdown directives
There was pandemonium on the Benin-Asaba-Onitsha expressway yesterday, as youths from Okpanam in Oshimili North Council Area of Delta State, barricaded the highway over the killing of two vigilante members by herdsmen.

The situation that led to the disruption of traffic and other economic activities for several hours followed repeated invasion of the community on the outskirt of Asaba by the nomads.

However, security operatives dispersed the angry youths, who vowed reprisals over the death of their colleagues, before normal socio-economic activities were restored in the area.

A resident of the community said, “The deceased vigilante members and others had stormed the bushes in search of a kidnapped woman and her daughter, when they were intercepted by gun wielding herdsmen.

“One of the dead victims simply identified as Emeka, was one of the leaders of our vigilante in Okpanam. There was exchange of gunfire between the herdsmen and the local security operatives who just alighted from a vehicle, but the herdsmen who were better positioned had the upper hand.”

Besides, the Delta State sector of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the state police command have arrested no fewer than 400 vehicles for flouting government’s directives to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

They cautioned warned that none of their officers were allowed to enter the road without wearing face masks, as they profile 74 offenders and over 20 violators of compulsory use of the face masks.

Acting Sector Commander of FRSC, Fatai Bakare, while briefing journalists on FRSC’s efforts at helping the state to enforce Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s orders in containing further spread of COVID-19 from the transport sector of the economy.

To enable them carry out their functions effectively, Bakare said the command has ensured that all officers comply with the personal protection directive regarding wearing of face masks, hands washing, sanitising and social distancing.

He said, “The management under the leadership of Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, is not leaving any stone unturned towards ensuring that FRSC works in tandem with the Federal and state governments towards the eradication of COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, policemen attached to the Delta State command, yesterday arrested over 20 persons in Asaba for failure to wearing facemask in public places, as officers who were attached to the Okpanam Police Division, arrested the face mask defaulters around the Midwifery Market on Okpanam Road.

Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, disclosed this in Asaba while briefing state house correspondents on measures and resolutions reached at a meeting of the Technical Committee on Prevention of COVID-19 in Delta State.

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