Some suspected herdsmen have continued their reign of terror against residents of Delta State, following the kidnap of three peasant farmers and a resident at Admiralty Neighborhood Estate, Ibusa, Osimili North Local Government of Delta State.
The herdsmen, five in number, stormed a compound in the neighborhood, to kidnap a landlord, who fortuitously, after sighting the kidnappers, escaped with his wife by going over his fence, with the aid of a ladder.
A tenant, however, wasn’t so lucky, as he was in his living room, with the tv on and door, not properly locked, when the kidnappers struck.
The escaped landlord, raised an alarm about his tenant being abducted, prompting neighbors to march to the Ibusa Police Station to alert the police.
The policemen there, initially refused to accompany them, stating that there wasn’t enough petrol in the patrol van until one of the neighbors offered to drive them to the scene of the crime. Two policemen followed, armed with guns.
On getting to the scene, the herdsmen were still with the tenant, whose name was revealed to be Emeka, but rather than confront the herdsmen, the police officers, said they would have to return back to the station, to bring reinforcements.
By the time the policemen returned, the hoodlums had left with the abducted tenant into the bush.
A resident, who was the eyewitness, reporting this account, says the abducted fellow has been released, after paying a ransom of 200,000 naira.
Besides paying the ransom, those who took the money to free Emeka were asked to come along with 7 plates of food and recharge cards worth 5,000 naira.
On the kidnap of the peasant farmers, a reliable source said that the farmers were working on their farms, somewhere between Ibusa and Azagba Ogwuashi, when they were picked by the armed herdsmen. This happened earlier in the day before Emeka was taken too.
According to same source, Emeka and the three peasants were kept in a camp in the bush called 45 Estate.
The farmers have also regained their freedom, after paying a ransom as well.
One farmer paid 6,500 naira for his freedom, but it is not disclosed how much the other two farmers paid to be freed.
Chukwugozie Okeke reporting, Obinwannem News
