Panic, as herdsmen kill 50-year-old DELSU staff farmer in Delta

THERE is uneasy calm as the body of a senior staff of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, Mr Sunday Idama, has been found lifeless in his cassava farm at Ovre, near Abraka on Friday.

Late Idama of the Department of Library was allegedly murdered by Fulani herdsmen.

Tribune Online gathered that the deceased was 50 years old and had 14 children who have been thrown into mourning.

He was said to have left home morning of Friday, March 24, but did not return until a search party sent after him uncovered his macheted body at his farm at Ovre near the Ovre Forest Reserves.

Idama’s death has brought the number of victims murdered by dreaded Fulani herdsmen to five in Ethiope East of the state alone since an unconfirmed information broke out that a helicopter made supplies of arms to Fulani herdsmen in the area.

Mr Philip Akpine, Mr Francis Okotie, Mr Sunday Couple, Mr Eyabigun Akpovena and Mr Sunday Idama have all been similarly slaughtered by suspected rampaging Fulani mercenaries in their farmlands in Ovre-Abraka.

Member representing Ethiope East Delta State House of Assembly, Asaba, Chief Evance Ivwurie, who posted his reaction to the murder on Facebook on Sunday, said Ovre-Abraka has become “a safe haven, dwelling and business place for thousands of Fulani Herdsmen and their cattle.”

The legislator had earlier alerted the world of sighting a helicopter dropping “supplies” at Ovre-Eku/Abraka axis.

According to him, “I have reported to the whole world that I was briefed by my constituents residing across Ethiope East Mainland; towns/villages and Ethiope East Hinterlands; Ovre-Eku/Abraka/Igun of the sighting by some of them of an unspecified Helicopter said to be dropping supplies in the same Ovre-Eku/Abraka axis.

Since after my receipt of that brief, five of my Constituents namely Mr Philip Akpine, Mr Francis Okotie, Mr Sunday Couple, Mr Eyabigun Akpovena and Mr Sunday Idama, have all been slaughtered by this mercenaries; Fulani herdsmen in their farmlands in Ovre-Abraka.

My people are helplessly susceptible, defenceless and vulnerable to this menace.

The herdsmen escapade and atrocities against my exposed constituents includes killing and Kidnapping them, maiming, raping and attacking them.”

The lawmaker disclosed that no fewer than 2,000 Fulani herdsmen and over 10,000 cattle are in various parts of the vast deserts in his constituency which has been christened “Ethiope East Sambisa Forest.”

Chief Ivwurie therefore appealed to “security agencies to visit the “Ethiope East Sambisa Forest” and properly investigate the activities of the criminal elements of the herdsmen and bring them to justice.”

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Delta State Police Command, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, when contacted by Metro on phone, confirmed the incident, but added that the case reported at Abraka police station on Saturday, March 25, by one Samuel Okumapeyi, was the murder of one 55-year-old Sunday Odama whose body was found at Ovre forest reserve along Benin – Abraka expressway.

According to him, the body of the deceased has been deposited in Ufuoma Clinic Mortuary for autopsy.

Aniamaka, however, said that though the primary suspects were Fulani herdsmen, the homicide squad of the command had dragged their net wider to unravel the killers as well as forestall a break down of law and order.