EDO: Eagle-eyed vigilante members arrest 9 herdsmen with dangerous weapons

A group of Fulani herdsmen who were all travelling in a Volkswagen vehicle marked Kaduna MKA 555YJ on the Igarra- Okpe Road have been arrested by vigilantes and youths in Okpe near Igarra, headquarters of Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.

Reports say upon the arrest of the herdsmen, different types of dangerous weapons were found in their possession heightening fear in the area especially after the shooting of a school bus driver on the Igarra-Auchi Road by suspected killer cattle rearers.

Youths in the area also lament the fact that security operatives especially the police react late to reports of herdsmen attack especially the recent killing of the school bus driver.

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“They normally come to mount check-point between Ago and Igarra but when we alerted them of the presence of killer herdsmen in that same area, they complained that they did not have enough fuel in their vehicle. It took the combined efforts of vigilantes from Igarra and Okpe and other youths in the area to pursue them into the bush before they were arrested yesterday in a vehicle going to an undisclosed location,” a source in the area said.

Reacting to the arrests of the herdsmen, the Secretary of the Royal Palace of Igarra, Elder Folorunsho Dania, said: “Today (yesterday) is Igarra market day, but many people did not go to the market for fear of attacks, even churches closed early because of the fear. But luckily around 7a.m. on Igarra-Okpe Road, vigilantes accosted them and they were arrested in their vehicle with cutlasses, guns and charms.

“We are now living in fear. Just a few days ago, they chopped off the hand of a farmer in Ojah. A few days later they attacked a cattle farmer, Hassan. They cut him severally in the head. The man died two days ago. “Last week, they kidnapped three people from the mining site near Igarra and up till now, their whereabouts is still unknown. We are appealing to the government and security agencies to come to our rescue.”

As at the time of filing in this report, the state Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Kokumo, and the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chidi Nwabuzor were yet to comment on the arrest but sources at the Igarra Police Station said the suspects who are now in police net would be transferred to the state Police Command Headquarters for further questioning.

 

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