Terror-stricken residents of over 20 communities in the Delta North Senatorial District of Delta State have cried out to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for urgent intervention as suspected herdsmen and kidnappers continue to dominate the forests, farmlands, and highways in the region.
The communities are calling for immediate deployment of security forces, including aerial surveillance and raids, to flush out the armed invaders.
The affected communities — including Ubulu-Uku, Ibusa, Ogwashi-Uku, Issele-Uku, Azagba-Ogwashi, Ubulu-Unor, and others —have been plagued by a string of abductions, murders, and armed attacks, with over 50 persons killed or kidnapped in the past six months.
“We are living in fear every day,” said Mr. Andrew Okafor, a retired security officer from Otulu.
“Armed Fulani herdsmen kidnap people daily from our farms and set up illegal roadblocks to abduct travellers. They are hiding in our forests and launching attacks from there.”
Residents say the menace has rendered farming impossible and travel unsafe, while local vigilantes remain ill-equipped to counter the well-armed assailants.
“The governor should mobilise the police, military, and aerial surveillance teams to raid these forests,” Okafor added. “We need helicopters, forest rangers, and stronger laws to drive these criminals away.”
The crisis has taken a deeply personal toll. Mr. John Ndukwe, a businessman in Azagba-Ogwashi, recounted how his wife was raped on their farm by suspected herdsmen.
“They’re emboldened because there’s no consequence,” he said. “The state government must act decisively—destroy their camps, set up trained forest rangers, and enforce the anti-open grazing law.”
Mrs. Joan Isioma, a teacher from Anifekide, described the trauma of negotiating ransoms for kidnapped relatives, sometimes with bizarre demands.
“These kidnappers now ask for jollof rice, turkey meat, and energy drinks along with ransom,” she said. “They pretend to be herdsmen by day, and at night, they become armed kidnappers. The government must flush them out of our forests once and for all.”
Celestine Nmakwe, a commercial driver, added: “They use cows to monitor our roads during the day and return with weapons at night. We are no longer safe on the Benin-Asaba highway.”
On March 23, gunmen kidnapped Chibueze, a student of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku. That same night, Mr. Afam Soeze was abducted from his home in Ubulu-Uku. A week later, Mr. Godwin Anuka, his wife, and two children were kidnapped on their farm. Mr. Anuka was shot dead in front of his family for resisting.
The same gang later kidnapped a medical doctor and his driver on April 6 along the Asaba-Issele-Uku expressway, demanding a ransom of N15 million—plus cooked food and drinks.
The Aniocha South Local Government Chairman, Pastor Jude Chukwunwike, coordinated with local vigilantes and the Nigerian Army to help rescue the victims.
Another gruesome attack involved a pastor who was shot during a church vigil in Azagba-Ogwashi and five worshippers kidnapped. Eight more victims, including another doctor and a delivery van driver, were abducted that day.
In late March, real estate agent Esther Ojoh was kidnapped and murdered after showing clients a property near Admiral University, Ibusa.
In response to public outrage, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, Olufemi Abaniwonda, launched a sting operation.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Edafe Bright, confirmed that four suspected kidnappers, including their leader Abubakar Usman a.k.a. “Shehu,” were killed in a gun battle.
“Following the doctor’s abduction and a N15 million ransom payment, our special team arrested the gang leader and traced their forest hideout,” Edafe said. “Three AK-47 rifles and 90 rounds of ammunition were recovered.”
Usman had confessed to orchestrating several kidnappings across Ubulu-Uku, Ogwashi-Uku, and Ibusa, including the killing of Mr. Anuka and the abduction of Esther Ojoh.
An aide to Governor Oborevwori stated that the government is actively working behind the scenes to address the crisis, though details remain undisclosed for security reasons.
Recently, the governor launched Operation Delta Sweep, a rebranded version of the former Delta Hawk, and donated 31 operational vehicles—bringing the fleet to 66—to support security agencies.
“This rebranding underscores our renewed focus on eliminating crime,” Oborevwori stated while handing over the vehicles to the Inspector-General of Police. “We are committed to peace and security under our MORE Agenda. These vehicles will support daily patrols and joint operations across the state.”
Despite the state’s efforts, community members insist more decisive action is needed. They urge full enforcement of the anti-open grazing law, which Oborevwori championed as Speaker and was signed into law in 2021.
“Laws are useless if not enforced,” said Mrs. Isioma. “Until the government clears the forests, deploys drones, and arms forest rangers, we will remain at the mercy of these criminals.”
