There appears to be rising tension over the invasion of Uwheru community in Ugheli North Local Government Area, Delta State, by gunmen who indigenes of the community as herdsmen. Members of the community said 10 men were killed but the Police said eight indigenes died.
National Daily gathered that the Delta State Police Command has swung into action for manhunt of the perpetrators of the attack on Uwheru community, Ugheli North LGA.
Apparently, while the Police said eight bodies were recovered; community members insisted that 10 young men were killed by suspected herdsmen.
The fear of the killer herdsmen had forced residents of the community to stay away from their farms since the incident.
It was learned that several residents of the community have fled their homes for fear of another attack.
The Police Public Relations officer, Onome Onovwakpoyeya, at the State Command, had confirmed the attack, saying that the Police have commenced manhunt to apprehend the killers.
National Daily had on Tuesday reported the fear of indigenes of the state capital, Asaba, and its environs over the increasing population of northern youths in Delta State.
Several citizens resident in Delta State expressed perturbations over the increasing population of youths from northern Nigeria in Asaba.
Being known for concentrating their population in specific location of their residence, the migrating northern youths, including some elders were noticed to be dominating the Koka Junction in Asaba, Delta State, which indigenes now identified as becoming a mini ugwu-awusa zone (habitat of migrant northerners).
The growing population of the Hausa/Fulani from the north in the zone have been causing the indigenes sleepless nights over rising risk of security threat to the people. Their fears or perturbation is not unconnected with the worrisome violent crimes, including the deadly Boko Haram terrorists and bandits in the north, which the people fear may be exported to their state.
The scenario precipitated disquiets from the indigenes who expressed their concerns in different forms. A notable perturbation was the suspicion of Islamisation of Nigeria by the northern Hausa/Fulani oligarchy, which many are apprehensive cannot be achieved without violence and conquering.
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However, many of the migrant youths engage in menial trades, Okada and Keke transport businesses, beside others. Some solicit daily labourer jobs at construction sites.
An indigene expressed: “I fear it’s all part of the Islamization and Fulanisation agenda. Their Fulani (herdsmen) brothers have taken over our bushes and farm lands, kidnapping, killing, maiming and raping at will and unchallenged.
“Other parts of the country are setting up security outfits to check this onslaught but our government is still in “sidon look” mode.
“We go hear am…”
Another stakeholders simply expressed that southeast and south-south people are at risk, adding: “soon our culture will be lost.”
Another stakeholder was of the view that “A stitch in time saves nine…” saying: “Now that someone has created the awareness, the authorities concerned should take appropriate action…”
An indigene also stated: “the evil we fail to destroy today, might destroy us in future, God forbid.”
Another indigene noted that the fact is right, saying that “if someone goes there in the morning, the person would notice a whole lot of them with shovels and diggers, with paint buckets, looking for the next available site to work, but what comes to my mind is the empowerment this government gave or their leaders gave them is to put them in trailers heading south with shovels and diggers as a form of empowerment. The northern political leaders have finished their people. It is a sad tale.
“I have been observing it for a while now and this awareness just put me back into my memory lane about the entire issue.”
A stakeholder lamented Asaba elders gave the northern migrants into the state an area called Cable in Asaba many years ago, but today Asaba people do not have mouth at Cable. The area is now dominated by the Hausa/Fulani.
An indigene also decried that “their heavy presence there constitutes a security threat to Asaba.”
Another indigene advocated: “They should be checkmated now before it is too late.”
Some other indigenes berated the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, who they said, has seen since noticed the presence of the northern migrants settling in the state amidst fears of security threats but kept quiet.
The attack on Uwheru community by suspected herdsmen appears to validate or justify the fears expressed by the people.