Christopher Oji
Suspected herdsmen at the weekend stormed a farm settlement in Ubulu – Uku community in Aniocha – South Local Government Area of Delta State, killing a farmer, Chief Chikwe Ojinji.
Ojinji had gone to his farm on Saturday morning but did not return home in the evening. Being a renowned hunter, his family was not bothered as they felt he had gone on hunting expedition.
A family source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Daily Sun: “When it was around 10pm and Chief Ojinji had not returned, we became afraid that something sinister may have happened to him. So, we raised the alarm. We contacted our elders, youth leaders and head of vigilance group in our town but they suggested that we should wait till early morning.
“As early as 4am, the search party went to the farm and we saw him lying in the pool of his congealed blood. He was cut with sharp knife and finally shot with a gun. We saw footprints of cow in the farm.
“Further enquiry revealed that some people from the neighbouring village heard him shouting that Fulani herdsmen were attacking him.”
Head of the vigilance group, Mr James Ado, confirmed the killing. He said: “It is the truth. He was killed in his farm by suspected herdsmen. We have recovered his body which the police have deposited in the mortuary. I can’t say more than this for now.”
A youth leader in the community, Chigozie Okolie, has called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to do something about herdsmen’s attacks in the state.
Okolie said:” The killing of our people is becoming too many. One month ago, herdsmen stormed Owa Alero, Okowa’s town and butchered a woman working in her farm. Few months ago, herdsmen killed a man in his farm at Onitch-Olona.
“Two years ago, the traditional ruler of Ubulu- Uku, Agbogidi Obi Akaze Ofulue, was abducted and killed by herdsmen. His body was found in a bush in Ekwuoma, a boundary town between Agbor and Umunede. That is why we are calling on Okowa to do something urgent to save the state from being taken over by herdsmen.
“We are not cowards; we just don’t want to take laws into our hands. But we are being pushed to the wall. The government should iron out the matter with the state commissioner of police.”