Herdsmen block road, rob commuters in Delta

Suspected Fulani herdsmen have con­tinued to hold the na­tion to ransom, robbing, kill­ing and maiming citizens at will.

 

Indeed, suspected armed Fulani herdsmen held hun­dreds of travellers hostage on Monday when they blocked the Agadama-Bomadi Road in Ughelli North Local Gov­ernment Area of Delta State.

The marauders report­edly robbed the travellers of their valuables before they were dispersed by security operatives in the area after several hours of gun battle.

Security sources told The AUTHORITY that securi­ty operatives were able to chase off the herdsmen after a fierce resistance.

 

One of the sources said: “We succeeded in chasing them away from the scene and they immediately fled into the bush. But they attempted to rob the first vehicle they intercepted. They know we were on their heels and would do everything to fish them out.”

The road links Agadama an Urhobo community to Bomadi and other Ijaw com­munities and part of Burutu Local Government Area of the state.

Motorists from both sides of the highways were strand­ed for several hours as they parked their vehicles while the herdsmen blocked the road and searched the com­muters’ luggage.

The Delta State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Aniam­aka, could not be reached for comment, but a senior police officer at the Ughelli ‘A’ Di­vision, said: “The herdsmen came out in a flash and the quick arrival of policemen from the Division made them to retreat.”

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Government has wad­ed into the recent clash be­tween herdsmen and farm­ers in Yahskira community of Baruten Local Govern­ment Area.

The state government ap­pealed to all aggrieved parties to remain calm and promised to fish out the masterminds.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Isiaka Gold, made the ap­peal in a statement on Mon­day when he condemned the clash.

He vowed that those in­volved in the unfortunate in­cident would be apprehend­ed and prosecuted.

He said: “The Kwara State government is backing the state Police Command and other security agencies to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators of the acts of vi­olence with a view to bring­ing them to justice.”