Again, rampaging herdsmen have struck at Etogi Community Mosque in Gbara Ward, Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, killing 21 people.
Another batch of suspected herdsmen, attacked farmlands at Ossissa community, Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Delta State, killing five natives of Ossissa, Utagba Uno and Aballa communities in the state.
Four other herdsmen, who laid siege to Olomoro-Oyede Road, Isoko South Local Government Area of the state, for travelers, were not so lucky, as Police officers gunned them down in a hot exchange of fire.
Giving details of the Etogi incident, witnesses said there was a disagreement between some young men of Northern extraction and members of the community, during which a herdsman was killed.
Giving details of the Etogi incident, witnesses said there was a disagreement between some young men of Northern extraction and members of the community, during which a herdsman was killed.
The herdsman had earlier demanded for a piece of land close to the community to farm on, with an agreement that a certain percentage will be paid annually to the Village Head. The agreement eventually collapsed.
When the herdsmen were asked to honour the agreement, they reportedly refused, claiming real ownership of the land, which led to a fight that resulted in the death of the herdsman.
Consequently, other herdsmen mobilized and attacked the community mosque, as Muslim faithful were observing their early morning prayers.
Mairo Mohammed one eye-witness claimed the attackers killed the Iman of the community and all other worshippers.
When contacted, the state Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, confirmed the report saying 21 people have been confirmed killed during the violence.
Elkana said: “It is confirmed that the attack was a reprisal to an earlier killing of a herder by the villagers. The killing of a herder was managed, but it appears they were not satisfied and decided to retaliate.
“Twenty-one people were killed, while eight people sustained various degrees of injuries during the attack.”
The PRO further said Mobile Policemen have been deployed to the community, while the Department of State Services, DSS, and officers of the command’s Criminal Investigation Department were also on ground to keep peace.
Regarding the Ndokwa incident, 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”.
Confirming the incident, 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 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.
He confirmed 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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