Suspected Fulani herdsmen, weekend, invaded farmlands at Ossissa community, Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Delta State, killing five natives of Ossissa, Utagba Uno and Aballa communities in the state. However, four alleged herdsmen, who laid siege to Olomoro-Oyede Road, Isoko South Local Government Area of the state, for travellers, were unlucky, as they were shot dead by the police in a gun battle.
Ossissa youths, enraged by the growing impunity of herdsmen, mobilized and barricaded major roads in the area. A source said that a commercial motorcyclist and native of Ossissa, Mr. Udoka Ossai, who was conveying plantains from a farmland was among the persons killed, while another victim sustained gunshot injuries in the attack that caused pandemonium in the community.
Speaking to newsmen on the attack, Ossissa youth president, Mr. Ebisue Ashibudike, said: “Udoka Ossai was carrying a woman on his motorcycle and did not know that the herdsmen were laying ambush at Ugbo farm. “They continued the attack on our land and killed an indigene of Aballa community and one other person that came from Utagba-Uno community, Ndokwa West council.
Later, security agents recovered two more corpses from the bush. As we speak, the herdsmen are still in the bush.” Another source in the community disclosed that a truck driver conveying palm fruits from one of the farms in the area and a female were hit by bullets as they were fleeing from the scene. The source, who craved anonymity, said the victims, who survived the attacks had been rushed to hospital for treatment. Confirming the incident yesterday, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Delta Command, Mr. Andrew Aniamaka, said: “At first, we heard that one person Mr. Udoka Ossai was killed, which triggered a protest. Subsequently, they mobilized into the bush and found two corpses. But later, information started trickling in that five persons died.” He said the police, other security agencies and local vigilante had restored normalcy in the community, adding: “The area is now calm and quiet.”
On the armed robbery incident on Olomoro-Iyede Road, Aniamaka said the suspected herdsmen had blocked the road, robbing some persons in the process, but on getting wind of the incident, police mobilized with members of the local vigilante and stormed the scene. “On sighting the police officers, the armed robbers fled into the bush, but the police went in their pursuit,” confirming that four herdsmen died in the ensuing shoot out, while a cut to size gun and five live cartridges were recovered from the hoodlums.
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