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From Joseph Obukata, Warri
An attempt by hoodlums to vandalize a railway track at the university town of Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, has been foiled by a vigilance group.
Daily Sun learnt that the vigilance group was involved in a shootout with the hoodlums, suspected to be herders, who had been terrorising the area in recent times. It was learnt that the vigilance group engaged the hoodlums in a gunfight at the weekend.
It was reported that the vigilance group stormed the area shortly after they got information that the suspected herders had taken over the rail station in the area.
One source, who craved anonymity, said: “Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have been reportedly sighted in Abraka, Ethiope West LGA of Delta State.
“The insurgents engaged the police team from the Delta Police Command on Friday at Abraka in a gun battle.”
But local sources disclosed that the gunmen were not Boko Haram insurgents as claimed on the social media but herders. The vigilantes chased them into the bush from the railway area, where they were first sighted, the source said.
The development fuelled tension and panic in the university town which is often prone to Fulani herdsmen’s attack, the source disclosed.
“The incident sent jitters through residents of the community, with some sources saying that the gunmen were suspected herdsmen.”
But with the intervention of the community’s vigilance team, who were patrolling the area, the herders were repelled after a shootout.
A video footage of the engagement sighted by our correspondent indicated that the vigilance men gave the marauders a hot chase while releasing volleys of gunshots.
When contacted, the Delta State police public relations officer, Bright Edafe, said he could not confirm if those being chased in the viral video were insurgents or Fulani herders as claimed on social media.
He, however, expressed concern that people were quick to label hoodlums with names of ethnic groups, stating that only the vigilance men who were seen in the video could confirm those they were chasing away from the rail tracks.
The state commissioner of police, Muhammed Ali, had on July 1 stated that efforts were being made to provide security along the railway route in the state.
He spoke after he visited the railway station at Owa Ewere, in Ika North East LGA, which came under hoodlums’ attack recently.
Suspected kidnappers had in late March abducted a man, Sunday Afam, and his in-law, Mr. Eric Etunim, at Ekuku-Agbor, in Ika South LGA of Delta State, during the burial ceremony of their father.
The victims were said to be on their way to the venue of the ceremony when they were waylaid at gunpoint at the train station at Owa-Oyibu, the neighbouring Ika North East local government area.
Assuring that the police were working in synergy with vigilance groups and local volunteers with a view to secure railway routes in the state, the police boss assured residents living within railway stations in the state of adequate security and safety.
Ali was accompanied by the Assistant Commissioner of Police Operations, Sa’ad Ibrahim, the Area Commander Agbor, ACP Friday Idachaba, and the Commanding officer Army 181 Aphibions Agbor, for an ‘on the spot’ assessment of the security situation in the area.
The first point of call by the CP was the railway crossing by Emuhu in Ika-South, Benin-Asaba Expressway where hoodlums sometimes kidnapped their victims before taking them into the bush.
Other places visited by the CP include the third power line by Boji-Boji Owa, Idumuesah in Owa Alero road, and the Agbor Railway Station.
The CP also met with Obi Dr. Emmanuel O. Efeizomor II, the Obi of Owa-oyibu and the Dein of Agbor Benjamin Ikenchuku (Keagborekuzi I) after assessing the security situation and arrangements on ground.
During the courtesy visit, issues bothering on the kidnapping trend within their kingdoms were discussed and solutions were proffered. Obi Efeizomor noted that the government and the police should support and empower the local vigilantes as the police cannot be everywhere at the same time.
He also noted that a series of meetings were ongoing with a view to fishing out the moles in the community that are conspiring with hoodlums.
The CP assured the two monarchs that the command is working in close synergy with the military and other security agencies and all modalities have been put in place to ensure that this ugly trend is brought to a halt and residents/passengers boarding the train to and from Delta State will be adequately protected.
