Metro

Tension As Over 300 Herders Seize Part Of Delta Community

Published

4 years ago

July 5, 2022

No fewer than 300 Fulani indigenes, mostly herders, have taken over a section of Okpanam community, Oshimili North Local Government Area, Delta State, and slowly turning the occupied area into a community without the authorisation of the traditional ruler (Ugoani) of Okpanam Kingdom, HRM Michael Ogbolu.

HRM Ogbolu raised the alarm during a tripartite meeting, last week, at his palace in Okpanam, involving the indigenes, chairman of Oshimili North LGA, Mr. Innocent Esewezie and Fulani leaders, as the community gave the intruders a 15-day ultimatum to vacate the area they are occupying.

Following the incursion of Fulani people into the woodland of Akwukwu-Igbo, Okpanam and other communities in Oshimili North, increasing killings, kidnapping and maiming of residents, the council under the leadership of Louis Ndukwe, passed an executive order in 2020, ordering all herders and strangers residing in undergrowth of the communities to vacate and relocate to the towns where natives live.

The monarch, who spoke to Vanguard on phone, yesterday, said: “Fulani people just went to occupy one part of Obodogba land belonging to Okpanam community. In our previous engagement, Obi Eluunor told us that anything concerning the Fulani people, we should route it through his office.

“I wrote to Obi Eluuno, I gave him seven days to remove the Fulani people from our bushes.

“Then the Commissioner of Police wrote, fixing a meeting for last week, at the same time, the local government chairman, Mr. Esewezie, came around, asking that we sit down to address the issues. He galvanized the whole of them and we met here in my palace and I told them that the matter is very simple, only that the government in Delta State does not respect the laws made by it.

“During the tenure of the former council chairman, Louis Ndukwe, the council came up with executive order requiring all Fulani people, herders and strangers in our bushes to vacate and come and live with us in the town, but nothing was done.

“Our position is that the chairman of Oshimili North, Esewezie, should give effect to the executive order; we cannot accommodate these people in our bushes. We are predominantly farmers, they bulldoze their way into the bushes, they eat up our farm crops and also rape our women.

“The long and short of it is that we gave them 15 days with which to relocate and that by July 14, 2022, the council chairman will go there (occupied area) himself to witness the evacuation.”

Esewezie could not be reached for comments, but sources said the council boss has waded into the matter and met on Sunday with the herders.

However, a community leader, said: “The council chairman held a meeting with Fulani herdsmen even on Sunday, you know that the former council chairman came up with an executive order in 2020. It has to be implemented. Few days ago, he also met with Fulani people, he is dealing with the security challenges community by community.

“The truth is that these people (Fulani) went to Okpanam, forcefully took a parcel of land and as we speak, they are turning themselves into a community of over 300 persons without authorisation from the community.

“They just come into any community, bulldoze their way and are doing all sorts of nonsense. Luckily for us, the leadership of the Fulani is cooperating with the council, the police are also cooperating.”

Ndukwe added: “We have agreed with traditional rulers and stakeholders. We have informed the police and other security agencies.

“What we are saying is enough is enough. We do not want to accommodate anybody in our bushes anymore. It is about the security of our people.

“If you want to live in Oshimili North, buy a piece of land and stop living in bushes,” he added.

Herders protest

Displeased with the directive, some of the herders at the time took to Benin-Asaba highway in protest. Their spokesperson, Idris Abubakar, said they were legal occupants of Oshimili as they pay rents.

He said: “The Federal Government should come to our aid so they can allow us stay as legal occupants. The government should come to our aid and halt the council chairman from passing this so-called executive order.

“Whoever is living in any place is a legal occupant of that place. We have receipts that they gave to us. We pay tenancy each year.”

Ndukwe, reacting to the protest, insisted that the order was not to victimize any tribe or persons but to rid the bushes of criminals using the scrublands to perpetrate crimes.

Govt not aware of Okpanam’s land invasion by herdsmen— Aniagwu

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, while reacting to the development, said the state government was not aware of invasion of part of Okpanam land by herdsmen.

Aniagwu, however, said there were some northerners in the area doing menial jobs to earn a living, urging Nigerians to learn to live together as one.

Acknowledging that there were some bad elements from the north, he said it was not enough to label every northerner a herdsman.

VANGUARD

Metro

Edo Police Arrest Two Suspected Cultists

Published

16 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Editor

The Edo State Police Command on Wednesday said two suspected cultists were arrested in Ohonre community, off Adolor College Road, Benin.

This was disclosed in a statement by the command Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, and made available to newsmen electrically.

Ikoedem said the arrest was possible due to operatives response to a distress report concerning the movement and gathering of some suspected cult members within the community.

The statement reads: “The Edo State Police Command has recorded another operational breakthrough following the swift disruption of a suspected cultists’ gathering in Ohonre Community, off Adolor College Road, Benin City.

“On 21st May, 2026, at about 19:00hrs, operatives attached to Ugbowo Division who were on surveillance patrol responded to a distress report concerning the movement and gathering of some suspected cult members within the community.

“Acting promptly on the information, the police team mobilized to the location. On sighting the operatives, the suspects fled in an attempt to evade arrest. The operatives immediately gave them a hot chase, leading to the arrest of two suspects identified as Victor Peter ‘M’, 21 years and Iyemoma Ogbewe ‘M’, 35 years.

“A search conducted on the suspects led to the recovery of one cut-to-size gun believed to have been in their possession for unlawful purposes.

“Upon investigation, the suspects confessed to being members of the notorious Maphite cult group. Efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend other fleeing gang members.”

She said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, commended the swift response of the operatives and reiterated the Command’s resolve to deny criminal elements any opportunity within Edo State.

He further urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to the Police, assuring that all reports would receive prompt attention.

Metro

Troops Eliminate Two Terrorists, Foil Pipeline Attack

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

The Nigerian Army says troops have, in the last 24 hours, eliminated two terrorists, rescued four kidnapped victims and foiled pipeline attacks in a series of coordinated military operations across Taraba, Kogi and Rivers.

This is contained in operational updates issued to reporters on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the reports, troops of 93 Battalion deployed at Akate in the Donga Local Government Area of Taraba engaged suspected terrorists in a forested area, killing two of them.

According to the report, items recovered from the scene include an AK-47 rifle, ammunition, magazines, mobile phones and other personal effects.

In Kogi, it said the troops of 21 Battalion, in collaboration with vigilantes, rescued four kidnapped passengers along the Anyigba–Itobe road in Ofu Local Government Area.

It added that the victims were reportedly abandoned by their captors while attempting to cross a seasonal stream due to sustained pressure from advancing troops.

According to the military, efforts are ongoing to rescue other victims still in captivity.

The report said that troops of 12 Brigade successfully repelled an ambush along Kabba–Okene road while withdrawing from an earlier operation, forcing the assailants to flee with gunshot wounds.

“Meanwhile, in Rivers, troops of 5 Battalion acting on credible intelligence, foiled an attempt by suspected vandals to detonate a crude oil pipeline in Ahoada West Local Government Area.

“The swift response of the troops disrupted the operation before it could be executed, with the suspects fleeing the scene,” it said.

Metro

Police Arrest Private Chef Over Alleged N150m Theft, Drugging Of Employer, Burglary

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a chef, John Cosmos Govi, over his alleged involvement in a burglary operation at a residence in Abuja, where luxury items and valuables worth about N150 million were reportedly stolen.

The arrest was announced on Monday, May 25, 2026, by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Placid, who said the suspect was apprehended by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) after investigations into allegations of criminal conspiracy, housebreaking, theft, malicious damage and administering harmful substances.

According to police findings, Govi, who allegedly gained employment as a chef at the residence, was said to have studied the movement of occupants, internal routine and security setup before allegedly carrying out the operation on April 23, 2026.

Investigators said he reportedly worked with two accomplices identified as Peter and Moses, who are currently on the run.

Police alleged that food prepared in the house was laced with a suspected sedative substance to weaken the occupants and security personnel.

After they reportedly became unconscious, the suspects allegedly broke into the property, damaged CCTV installations and stole 20 luxury wristwatches valued at about N150 million, alongside other valuables.

Speaking on the development, DCP Anthony Placid said the suspect was intercepted around the Gwagwalada axis of the Federal Capital Territory while attempting to flee to Lagos. He added that an iPhone 17 Pro Max, believed to belong to the victim, and a suspected chemical substance were recovered.

“We remain committed to dismantling organised criminal networks and ensuring that all fleeing accomplices are brought to justice,” Placid said.

Police said efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and conclude investigations into the case.