Worried by the high rate of banditry and kidnapping in the south-south, a community in Delta state has called on the people to rise up and defend themselves against what they called ‘enemy of the people’.
This call was made after several attacks were carried out that forced farmers to abandon their farms and thereby turning several communities to Internally Displaced People’s centres.
Just few months ago, suspected armed hoodlums attacked a family of four and carted away N280,000 and other items from their residence at Ogbe Iyasa Quarters, Ubulu-Okiti in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State.
The incident, which occurred at about 8.55p.m. on September 7th, 2022, left the family, father, mother and two of their children, with matchet cuts on their heads and bodies.
According to sources, the generator being run by the family went off and the children, thinking that the fuel had been exhausted, went out to refill only to walk into the waiting hands of the hoodlums who led them back into their apartment.
It was gathered that the hoodlums, while inflicting bodily harm to their victims, forcefully collected their phones and ATM cards from which the sum of N280,000 was transferred to their Monie Point account.
The incident was reported at Ogwachi-Uku Divisional Police Station after she and her family were discharged from an undisclosed hospital where they spent 12 days, however police declined to comment after repeated enquiries.
In the same vein, in Egbo – Uhurie a village in Ughelli South Local Government Council experienced the worst of its insecurity in 2021 when one Felix Keghoro while his brother identified as John Otametite Keghoro is on the run.
The genesis of the crisis in the community according to sources was traced to a huge rubber plantation that has attracted all manner of hoodlums and rebel groups to take over the farms while many are still said to be at large for fear of their lives.
Similarly, no fewer than two people have been killed in an onslaught on indigenes and residents of Ubulu-Uku, Aniocha south local fovernment area of the State.
In an attempt to stop the heinous crime, in the community, unidentified assailants waylaid a member of the Ubulu-Uku vigilante group, killing him on the spot.
Trouble started when the assailants laid siege in the bush along Ubulu-Uku-Issele-Uku major road where men of the community vigilante mount vigilance. Police commissioner Abas Adewale confirmed the incident.
Just few weeks ago, Toru-Angiama community, Patani local government area was thrown into confusion, as a father and his son were shot dead by suspected herdsmen.
It was gathered that one other person was inflicted with gunshot injuries as several others were said to have been held hostage by the herdsmen who invaded the community’s farmhands.
Sources said the incident which occurred at about 11 am caused pandamonium in the hitherto peaceful community as some panic-stricken residents fled the area.
Giving details of the incident, the Chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, in Kabowei kingdom, Mr Andrew Ekiyor said the father, identified as Mr Egbejule and his son had gone to their farm when they met the herdsmen destroying their crops.
In all these the state government has yet declared a state of emergency on the insecurity, thus people now calling on their helpless youths to defend their community against armed men.
The question remains, how?
By. Mosun Usman
