A suspected Cattle herder has been arrested by men of the Nigeria Police at Okhuaihie Division in Edo State for allegedly stabbing a farmer he had got into a row over destruction farm produce.
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning in Ugbo-Ayon Community, off Benin-Agbor road in Uhunmwode Local government Council Area of the State.
Community sources said the herder ripped-off the stomach of the victim for ordering him to stop feeding their own cassava to his Cattle during an encounter.
The injured farmer’s comment, according to sources, leading to a seeming argument between him and the herder who pulled out a knife and attack the yet-to-be named victim.
The injured farmer was immediately evacuated to an undisclosed hospital for treatment after one of his brothers raised the alarm that attracted the attention of other rural dwellers.
The victim’s brother who simply identified himself as Boniface said trouble started while he was harvesting yam with his injured brother.
He said brave villagers gave the herder a hot chase after he attempted to escape and apprehended him before he was handed over to police authorities in connection with the grievous bodily harm.
“Yesterday, I went to my farm. I was digging yam with my brother, I saw a Cattle rearer cutting down our cassava and yams to feed his animals. I told the Cattle herder to leave immediately.
“Suddenly, he brought out his knife and stabbed my brother in his stomach.
“My brother is in hospital, but, I am not sure if he will survive due to the injury he sustained”, he cried.
Another resident of Ugbo-Ayon, who introduced himself as Samson also confirmed the vicious attack.
He aligned with the submission of Boniface who claimed to be present during the incident.
Samson said the issue is that “farming is their own source of living is under threat due to activities of violent Cattle herdsmen”.
“Our concern at the moment, we do not have money to continue my brother’s treatment.
“We need the government to help us in making sure that we do not lose this our brother”, pleaded.
One of the elders of Ugbo-Ayon Community, Mr Saturday Edo alleged that the villagers have being suffering from herdsmen menace.
“We find it difficult to access our farms for a very long time because of the threat posed by herdsmen.
“For about a week now, three persons were kidnapped in the area.
Up till this moment, we have not heard any information from Cattle herder since the past one week”, he said.
Those things are part of the challenges that we are seeking the government assistance for. We have no alternative source of living outside farming. Here our cry”, according to Samson.
A response from the Nigeria Police Command in Edo State, SP Moses Yamu, is being awaited.
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