From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Residents of Issele-Azagba community in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State are in the grip of fear following a barrage of heavy shooting by gunmen suspected to herdsmen.
A middle-aged man is feared dead as a result of the shooting by the gunmen who also abducted a 17-year-old girl from the sleepy community.
Just last October, some gun-wielding herdsmen invaded a secondary school in the community, killing one teacher and injuring two others before whisking the principal away.
But the community vigilante mobilised immediately and trailed the hoodlums into the bushes and rescued the principal, although a 19-year old boy was killed during the rescue operation.
The latest invasion, Daily Sun has learnt, occurred Wednesday night when the hoodlums shot indiscriminately to scare residents.
The hoodlums are said to be demanding N10 million in ransom to free the abducted 17-year-old girl.
A local source told our correspondent Thursday evening that members of the community’s vigilante have launched a search party for the possible rescue of the girl unhurt.
According to the source, the heavy shooting went on simultaneously at three areas of the town.
“The community has of recent come under attacks, leading to the death of a school teacher with others sustaining various degrees of injuries that kept them in hospital till early last month.
“As I speak the entire community has gathered at the palace, while the vigilante men have entered the bush, trying to trail them and see if they could rescue the girl,” the source said.
“But the kidnappers have called and are now asking for N10 million ransom. The girl’s mother was spared, perhaps because she is nursing a little baby.”
Although a senior police officer attached to the state police command confirmed the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Hafiz Inuwa, could not be reached on phone as at the time of filing this report.