Suspected herdsmen kidnap farmer, injure 3 vigilante members

Some suspected Gunmen on Saturday abducted a female farmer in Abavo, Ika South Local Government Area, Delta State, inflicting severe injuries on three members of the community’s vigilante team.

Report revealed that the injured victims were among members of the vigilante group set up to provide security to farmers in the community, following incessant herdsmen attacks in the area.

The President General of the Abavo community, Pastor Justin Onyeibe, told our correspondent that the kidnapped woman and her husband were working on their farmland when the herdsmen struck.

He said, “The husband and the wife were on the farm when they sighted the herdsmen, so they had to run for their dear lives. Unfortunately, the woman was not able to run, it was only the man who outran them, so they took the woman.

“The vigilante group was in the bush searching for them, but somehow, they attacked our vigilante people. As l am talking to you, one of them has been referred to a hospital in Asaba.”

“The other two were taken to another medical facility. Every day, they (the vigilante) are in the bush from morning to evening, that is why in the last six months we have not heard of any attack.”

Onyeibe said no contact had been established with the members of the woman’s family, as she had no phone.

A source who craved anonymity said, “In the wake of the incessant herdsmen attacks, each of the 13 quarters of Abavo had to constitute different vigilante groups which were mandated to man the various farms.

“Just yesterday (Saturday), they attacked the ones that were manning the bushes in Oyoko quarters. At the end of the day, they injured three vigilante members,” the source said.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the State Command, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the attack on Sunday.

“Yes, it’s true, but we cannot say now that the attack was carried out by herdsmen,” he said.