Mr. Fidelis Akazue, 50 year old farmer and breadwinner, on Monday, November 4, 2019 escaped death as he was attacked by six armed men suspected Fulani herdsmen in his farmland.
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Recounting his ordeal, Mr. Akazue gave thanks to God Almighty for saving his life. He said he had left his residence in Owerre-Olubor in Ika North East Local Government Area to his farmland in OPC farm area Ubulu-Uku that morning when attackers who he claimed were Fulani herdsmen accosted him and attacked him.
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According to him, “I arrived my farm at about 8:00 am, while trying to pack my motorcycle suddenly six armed young men came out and asked me what I was doing there which I responded that I have come to work on my farmland. But before I could say any word again I was stabbed on my right palm and given a machete cut on my head. Even as blood was gushing out, my attackers went further to tie my two hands dragged me into the bush. They later demanded for my phone which I told that I do not have a phone. My attackers were Fulani herdsmen for the fact only one among them manages to speak in English but they communicate in Hausa language”.
Explaining further, Mr. Akazue said during their stay in the bush, two of the hoodlums went to Ubulu-Uku to buy what they will eat and returned. “After many hours in the bush, I was dragged again, but even as I followed them the rope tied around my two hands were loosened. Even as we approach the main Ubulu-Uku/Ogwashi-Uku road to cross over to the other side of the road, they saw an incoming vehicle which made others to lie ambush and the person that held me tied my left hand to a tree to join his gang in the attack. It was in the process of the robbery attack that with the grace of God I struggled to use my injured right hand to loosen the rope that my left hand was tied with to a tree and took to my heels and I found my way to a place popular called “Ani Fada” in Ubulu-Uku and met with the Police Patrol Team of Galilee Police station, Owerre-Olubor. I was later treated at Kifa’s Clinic Umunede”.
Meanwhile, members of the Association of Justices of Peace (AJP) Ika Chapter led by Chief J.O Okafor of Ika North East and Chief F. E Konyeme of Ika South who received the news of the attack on Akazue by the Fulani Herdsmen called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to use his good office to check the activities of herdsmen in the area and the State as whole to avert crisis.
Briefing the media on behalf of the group, the Secretary, Chief F.K Ngidi ISMN, lamented that herdsmen have made life difficult for farmers in recent time and are gradually taking over the farms in the area.
In his words, “We want urgent attention towards the menace of herdsmen before they take over our land. The major occupation of Ika people is farming in order to make ends meet but reverse is the case now as many have left farming and are doing nothing at all because of fear not to be killed by herdsmen. We are indeed pleading that the activities of the herdsmen be checked properly”.
The group equally called on the Delta State Commissioner of Police to deploy policemen to check Owerre-Olubor, Obior, Ubulu-Uku and Ogwashi-Uka road to checkmate the Fulani herdsmen menace and other criminal activities especially, in this ember month’s period.