Suspected Herdsmen Behead Woman, Injure Two Others in Delta

By Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Tragedy again struck in Illah community in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State as assailants suspected to be Fulani nomads beheaded a woman and left two others with severe machete wounds.

The women were said to have gone on fishing in a stream in the area when the suspected herdsmen allegedly pounced on them and attempted to rape them.

The women had gone to the Otu Ngegu river (Gulugulu) in Ajaji area of the community to fish but they were attacked on the way by the suspected nomads who attacked and tried to rape them, inflicting machete cuts on them as they put up resistance, community sources said.

The unprecedented incident has caused a big stir in the usually peaceful agrarian community as fear has gripped the people such that some residents have been unable to go to their farms.

One community source said, “The women were fishing when some person dressed like herdsmen and wearing masks emerged from the bush nearby and attacked them in an attempt to rape them.

“However, the women resisted which infuriated the assailants as one of them brought out a sharp cutlass to cut off the neck of one of the women, killing her instantly. The attacker also inflicted injuries on the two other women.”

A team of policemen reportedly stormed the scene of the attack but the attacker had fled when the policemen arrived.

The source further told THISDAY that the policemen eventually evacuated the remains of the dead woman to a morgue while they also rushed the two injured women to the hospital for medical attention.

However, while confirming the report, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Celestina Kalu (DSP) said that the police could not say if the assailant was a herdsman or not as he was masked and his identity could not be ascertained.

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