One killed as gunmen kidnap two in Delta

Delta Police Command says it is on the trail of the gunmen who killed an octogenarian and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as they allegedly attempted to kidnap him along with two others in his farm in Abavo, Ika South council area of the state on Monday.

Spokesperson of the command SP Bright Edafe told Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday that a searchlight is being beamed on the Ika axis of the state where kidnappers had held sway in recent times.

Nigerian Tribune reports that the pioneer chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party for ward 10, Abavo,  Elder Francis Amamos was attacked in his farm along the corridors of the railway line in Okpe quarters of the agrarian community by the gunmen suspected to be herders allegedly taken over his farm.

They were said to have attempted to abduct him along with the two other farmers but the octogenarian allegedly resisted the kidnappers and questioned their audacity to order him out of his farm following which the gunners reportedly opened fire at him. 

It was gathered that when the bullet failed to penetrate the courageous politician, the assailants resorted to the use of machete to inflict deadly cuts on him, consequent upon which he reportedly gave up the ghost.  

The two others were however taken away by the attackers and as at the time of filling the report, the community is yet to establish contact with them.

Meanwhile, the remains of the late elder Francis Amamosa have been deposited at the mortuary.

In similar circumstances,  a middle-aged man was reportedly killed in Abavo Community on Friday last week.  

Following the development palpable fear and tension are currently pervading the air as people are scared to go to the farm even as social life is at the lowest ebb in the area.

Meanwhile, one Ferdinand Iweriebor of the  Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Delta, Agbor has drawn the attention of the state government to the high rate of killings and abductions in the area.

In a response to  the comment by one of  the governor’s aides on the insecurity in Ikaland that all is well, Iweriebor said among the 16 points raised in the letter that:

“At Ute axis, the branch chairman of a vigilante outfit, one Mr Beye on blessed memory now, was hacked down while struggling to rescue kidnapped victims.

“Presently, half of Abavo, my homeland, Ute as whole, Ekuku-Agbor, Idumuesa, and even part of Agbor metropolis – after Ika Grammar school down to across express by Untouchable church are all RED zones. Who did we offend? Won’t we move again?

“Tell your principal, our amiable Governor, His Excellency, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborovwori… that the once food basket of Delta (Ika land) has been held captive without sigh of hope. Tell him that some people didn’t harvest their yams planted last year till date. 

“Tell him that we as a people are ready and would need state support in terms of manpower and logistics.

“With due respect, he should summon all traditional rulers in Ika and instruct those among them that have cows in the bush to give out some to their poor subject and hand off on preservation of gifted cows that make them keep people in the bush or better still, sell those cows and enjoy the proceed as usual.”