Masked gunmen
Fulani terrorists have taken over communities in Delta State and the police seemed incapable of taming their kidnapping and looting activities.
The latest victim of the growing abduction of innocent persons was the case of Mr. Augustine Eziashi, a native of Ubulu-Uku, in Aniocha South local government area of the state. He was kidnapped on Thursday penultimate week by persons he clearly identified as Fulani men.
His abductors were said to have shot at his vehicle along Ubulu-Uku/Issele Uku road about 8pm forcing him to stop. He was herded into a bush where the Fulani men had converted a hut built inside a fenced plot of land into their abode.
According to the victim, one of his abductors told him that he would have killed him if he had not stopped. His vehicle still bears gunshot marks.
“One of them told me he would have killed me and returned to Niger Republic if I had proved stubborn by not stopping at their command.
“They had a gun, at least I saw one AK-47 with them. They marched me into the bush in an environment I was very familiar with. They asked me if I knew where I was but I answered ‘no’. Then they started asking all manner of questions.
“I was later released after a ransom of N300,000 was paid. My joy is that I am alive to tell the story but my pain is that strangers have mapped out our land and are on a daily basis terrorizing my people; abducting us and collecting ransom, “ he said.
In recent time, communities in Delta North senatorial district have been under siege, besieged by Fulani men who openly bear arms and abduct citizens for ransom.
Recall that the Obi of Ubulu-Uku HRH Obi Agbogidi Akaeze Ofulue 111 was in 2016 abducted and killed by Fulani men on his way to Asaba. His companion in the car was lucky to have escaped.
Cases of kidnapping by Fulanis have been on the increase in recent months. Flashpoints include Onicha Olona/Issele-Uku road; Ukwunzu/ Issele-Uku road; Onich-Ukwu/Issele –Uku road and Ubulu-Uku/Issele-Uku road.
Residents of the communities have been living in fear. They recalled the case of Barr Oduh who was abducted along Onicha-Ukwu road, the case of a Reverend Father who was kidnapped recently along Onicha-Olona road as well as the case of a retired teacher whose vehicle was shot at, his tyre punctured, but he escaped.
“We are living in fear. They kidnap at night and at day. We cannot move around freely any more. We want the State commissioner of police to do something about this. These people are armed but we believe that they are surmountable,” Mr Victor Mordi, a resident of Issele-Uku told Political Economist.
