Suspected peasants have killed an invader and macheted three others, who allegedly encroached on the Okuama-Ewu Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, to loot zinc, iron, rods and related scraps, barely 24 hours after the Nigerian Army pulled out of the embattled community.
Soldiers started withdrawing from the community, on Monday, and finally pulled out, on Wednesday, following negotiations between Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the Army authorities.
Soon after, some youths from neighbouring villages, observing that soldiers had withdrawn from Okuama-Ewu, went to the community to scavenge for things to sell.
Meanwhile, the people of Akugbene community in Bomadi Local Government Area of the state, have raised the alarm that one of the six persons attacked and macheted, by returnees of the embattled Okuama Community in Ughelli South was still missing.
They ambushed, macheted our people—Akugbene resident
A source from the neighbouring Akugbene Community in Bomadi Local Government Area of the state told Vanguard that they noticed soldiers leaving the Okuama-Ewu Community, on Tuesday. It explained that Okuama returnees ambushed and attacked four Akugbene indigenes with machetes.
His words: “As I talk to you, there is a problem: the Okuama returnees ambushed and butchered four indigenes of our community with machetes.
“They (Akugbene indigenes) were on their way to the Ezebiri Community along the footpath linking various communities on hearing that the road was free when the Okuama returnees ambushed them.
“One of them, who escaped to our community with machete cuts, narrated that the Okuama returnees pointed guns at them and attacked them, while on their way to Ezebiri.
“They attacked them with machetes, but he managed to escape while others were led towards the jetty in the community waterfront.
“The victim is in a critical condition with us here at the primary healthcare centre,” he added.
On how Okuama-Ewu people, who fled the community on March 14, could have laid ambush for the Akugbene villagers, he said: “We believe some soldiers of Urhobo decent at Okuama must have passed prior information of their planned pull-out to them.
“We have some respite now, as we were practically caged, not moving out to neighbouring communities in the Okuama direction, where we buy most of our foodstuff and household materials, particularly at the Okuagbe market, so, our people went to buy foodstuff when they attacked them.”
One of our brothers still missing —Akugbene chair
Meanwhile, a former community chairman, who spoke to our reporter, disclosed that one of the two persons declared missing during the attack, returned to the community late last night and that one of the remaining victims was nowhere to be found.
