The people of Ubulu-Uku Community in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State have sent a save-our-soul to the Inspector- General of Police (IGP) Usman Baba Akali and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of the state over invasion of their bushes by Gunmen and killer herdsmen.

The gunmen including killer herdsmen have been terrorising the community for over a period of time; three years ago, a traditional chief, Chikwe Okonji, was butchered like a ram on his farm. The same year, a medical practitioner Dr. Odozi, was shot dead by gunmen on Ubulu-Uku- Isele-Uku road while many others, including a school principal were abducted for ransom on the same road.

The former Delta State Commissioner of Police Ari Mohammed Ali did his best by stemming the tide of kidnappings and other sundry crimes. Just as if the gunmen and killer herdsmen were monitoring CP Ali, immediately he was redeployed to Zone 2 Command, Lagos, the gunmen and killer herdsmen have invaded Ubulu-Uku community again.

The people are now living in fear as the gunmen have resumed hostility in their forest, with their latest victim, Mr. Onuwa Ukwa, who was abducted in his farm.

According to Ukwa, he had gone to attend to his palm wine on Easter Monday evening in their farm forest, a distance of about ten kilometers from the town. He said on arrival where the felled palm wine trees were located, he was in the process of the usual inspection of the palm wine filtering points, when someone pointed a torch light on him with an instruction that he should come forward.

The 43-year-old palm wine tapper cum trader said initially, he had mistaken the man who ordered him to come forward to be one of his fellow palm wine tappers, but before he could truly ascertain who was talking to him, four other hefty men with torch lights and rifles in their hands emerged from nowhere, jointly commanding him to come closer.

“After they had rested and checked the time to be about 5am, I informed them that the distance to Ute Ogbeje was not much. There and then, we continued with the journey and on sighting some houses in the village and getting more direction on how to access the main road leading to Agbor, they told me that I was free to go back while the five of them would continue with the journey.

“Having secured my freedom, I took to my heels fearing that the men might come after me. I ran as fast as I could, with the excitement of one who narrowly escaped death,” he said.

Meanwhile, since he stayed beyond his normal time of returning from palm wine evening inspection, members of Ukwa’s immediate community (Udo Quarters) had gathered themselves into a search team largely made up of youths.

The youths in their dozens armed with machetes had stormed the forest searching through familiar palm wine tapping areas where Ukwa’s motorcycle and gallons were seen.

According to one of the youths who spoke on the condition of anonymity, immediately they discovered the motorcycle without any trace of him, there was the near conclusion that Ukwa must have been killed by unknown persons particularly as Fulani herdsmen had over the years invaded the forest with their cows ravaging everywhere.

After hours of fruitless search for Ukwa, the youths returned home about 2am to report to their elders. It was gathered that a report about the missing Ukwa was made to the local vigilante group and the police station at Ubulu-Uku before the search team embarked on their journey. (Daily Sun)