Delta Traditional rulers, Police command at war over alleged roles of Herdsmen in kidnapping

By Felix Igbekoyi

Traditional rulers in Delta State and the Delta State Po­lice Command are trading words over the roles of the former in the disturbing cas­es of killings, kidnappings, maiming, armed robberies and other violent crimes.

This may not be uncon­nected with the proposal of the state government to es­tablish an independent secu­rity outfit to be known as Op­eration Delta Hawk to tackle rising security challenges.

While the Delta Police Commissioner has alleged that royal fathers were in­volved in secret land deals with herdsmen who turn around to make life unbear­able for their host commu­nities, Chairman of the tra­ditional rulers’ council and the Obi of Owa Kingdom, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor have debunked the claim and thrown their weight behind the Operation Delta Hawk.

Efeizomor, who spoke un­der the aegis of Delta State Council of Traditional Rul­ers, alongside the Obi of On­icha-Ugbo, Obi of Issele-Uku, Obi of Atuma, Obi of Idumu­je-Unor, Obi of Umunede, and Obi of Akumazi, debunked insinuations that royal fa­thers were involved in secret land deals with herdsmen who turn around to make life unbearable for their host communities, saying that the herders rather invade the bushes knowing that the communities lacked the wherewithal to chase them out.

Efeizomor said he has never heard of the practice where a traditional ruler will be ceding land to the invad­ing herdsmen, adding the subjects will revolt against such monarch as herdsmen have become thorns in the flesh of residents of commu­nities.

“We have people who in­vade our bush, set up camps, rape our women, destroy crops in the farm lands, kid­nap our people, kill security agents and royal fathers. So everybody should be involved in keeping security. (Independent)