HERDSMEN, FARMERS’ CLASH: DPO, 29 Others Killed In Adamawa

A bloody conflict between Fulani herdsmen and farmers has claimed no fewer than 30 lives including the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Vunokilang Police Station in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State as well as 29 others in an early morning attack yesterday, residents and security sources have confirmed.

An eyewitness told our correspondent that suspected Fulani herdsmen stormed about four villages in the local government area and wreaked havoc on lives and property of the villagers, resulting in many deaths.

“The assailants raided Demos, Wunamokoh, Dikajam and Taboungo villages. We suspected that they were on a revenge mission over a protracted land dispute,” the eyewitness said.

Investigations indicated that the suspected herdsmen laid ambush for the DPO, late CSP Okozie Okereofor, who was just two months old in the command, while he was leading his men to the disputed area in order to restore normalcy.

The herders were said to have engaged the police team in a gun duel resulting in the death of the DPO.

The corpse of the slain police officer and those of the remaining civilians are currently deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Yola.

Confirming the killings, spokesman of the Adamawa State Police Command, DSP Othman Abubakar, said the DPO and his team were attacked while on official duty in the affected villages and that he was killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Abubakar added that report at his disposal indicated that the attackers have looted, food stuff and livestocks of the villagers before incinerating the villages.

“The suspected Fulani herdsmen raided four villages in Girei local Government area on Sunday morning around 5:30 am killing scores including the late DPO”. Abubakar stressed.