The people of Egbede community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State have lamented the continual invasion of their farmlands by suspected herdsmen.
They alleged that one of their sons, 26-year-old Nonye Nwa-Omoku was killed by a herdsman in the community last Thursday without any provocation.
A source, who claimed he escaped death, said the incident occurred in the evening when they saw a herder approaching their direction.
He said: “We don’t even know what happened. We just saw the Fulani man coming towards us. Next thing, he shot in my direction, I dodged.
“He was now asking, where is that my brother. He followed him and shot him two times. My brother fell. We didn’t do anything to him”.
A relative of the deceased, Confidence Wellington, said the residents were afraid of going to their farmlands as a result of the incident.
He said: “Herdsmen have been threatening our people to our farmlands. If my people have farmlands of let me say 200 kilometers, herdsmen have taken over 107 kilometers.
“If you go into the bush where my people, elders, our mothers are farming, these herdsmen will threaten them and chase them out. Now they have killed my younger brother.
“So, we are begging the state government to help us, chase away these herdsmen from our community and protect us”.
Youth President of Egbema community, Ifeanyi Ezeocha condemned the activities of the herdsmen in the area and urged the people not to take laws into their hands.
“We are law abiding citizens. We don’t want to take laws into our hands. We have reported the activities of the herdsmen to the police and DSS (Department of State Services).
“Even the Commissioner of Police is aware of what they have been doing here. Now our mothers and fathers are scared of going to the farm because of what just happened.
“Nobody knows who will be the next. We don’t have any problem with them. They have been grazing in our farmlands. Sometimes they destroy all the crops in our farms with their cows.
“Let the state government and security agencies come to our aid because we cannot continue like this,” he added.
Spokesperson of River Police Nnamdi Omoni confirmed the incident, saying the matter was under investigation.
He said: “The CP (Commissioner of Police) has ordered an investigation into it with a view to unravel what happened and bring anyone found culpable to justice.
“We have been able to restore normalcy. So for now we have asked all the parties to sheath their swords and await the outcome of our investigation”.
