LAGOS MARCH 13TH (URHOBOTODAY)- Worried by the rising insecurity in the country and the state in particular, over herdsmen attacks on its communities, the Delta State House of Assembly, yesterday, passed a resolution urging Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the state to prevail on security agencies to beef up security in Aniocha North Local Government Area and other affected councils.
Moving a motion under matters of urgent public importance, the member representing Aniocha North constituency, Mr Emeka Nwaobi, which was seconded by the member representing Ika South, Mr Festus Okoh, and adopted after debate by members, noted the incessant attacks on the people of Aniocha North by suspected herdsmen. He explained that huge ransoms were paid to secure the release of the victims, while others are still in captivity, lamenting that Issele-Azagba community was the worst hit by the herdsmen, who have killed, maimed and rapped people in the area as well as denied them access to their farmlands.
In their separate contributions, the House Majority Leader, Tim Owhefere, Deputy Majority Leader, Oboro Preyor, Chief Whip, Pat Ajudua, the member representing Ndokwa West, Charles Emetulu and the member representing Ika South, Festus Okoh, recounted the havoc wrecked by herdsmen in communities across the state and called for concerted efforts to prevent further killings of innocent Deltans.
They alleged that herdsmen have made life unbearable for people in the state, stressing that some communities, including Obi-Ayima, Issele-Azagba, Uwheru were under siege by herdsmen. They lamented that people no longer go to their farms in the affected communities for fear of being held captive by the herders. Meanwhile in Abraka Kingdom in Ethiope council, Delta State, President General of Abraka Kingdom, Chief Emmanuel Idogho, giving statistics of the recent attacks in the kingdom, said two persons have been killed in the last one month while a woman was raped by persons suspected to be herdsmen in her farm. He said: “We are still under siege by armed herdsmen in Abraka, particularly in the Ovre’Abraka area which plays host to a large expanse of area used for farming by farmers in the area, including some from Obiaruku community. “Last Monday, one of our sons was attacked by the herdsmen, who inflicted machete life threatening cuts on him in his farm. He was lucky to have been rescued by a good Samaritan, who called the attention of others and he was taken to the Abraka General Hospital, where he is currently receiving medical attention. “In the month of February, we recorded numerous attacks by herdsmen with one of such cases resulting to the death of one person, who is an indigene of Obiaruku. The incident happened at the Abraka farm reserve area.
“Also, a man who had gone to his farm in company of his wife, escaped death in his farm during an attack on them by the herdsmen, fortunately for his wife, she survived the attack but unluckily for her, the herdsmen took turns to rape her after which they left her in the farm and fled the scene of the incident.”