The Security Committee on Herdsmen and Farmers recently constituted by the Delta State Police Command has intercepted a group of unidentified herdsmen and their cattle and sent them out of the state.
Spokesperson of the command, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, who made the disclosure in a statement yesterday in Asaba, said the unidentified herdsmen claimed to have arrived Asaba from Kogi.
He said the committee swung into action following the circulation of a video on the social media that claimed some armed herdsmen had arrived Asaba through the River Niger.
“The attention of Delta State Police Command has been drawn to a video circulating on the social media to the effect that some herdsmen have arrived Asaba by three flying boats through the River Niger.
“The viral video had alleged that the herdsmen were seen with suspected firearms.
“However, the command wishes to state here that on Sunday, 21st January, 2018 at about 3 p.m., some herdsmen actually arrived Asaba bank of the River Niger in three flying boats with their cattle.
“On receipt of the information, members of the State Committee on Herdsmen/ Farmers recently inaugurated by the Police Command swung into action and intercepted the herdsmen.
“The committee, led by its chairman Chief Cassidy Iloba, who is a Senior Special Assistant on Security to the Governor, interrogated the herdsmen.
“Thereafter, they were returned to Kogi State where they came from,’’ Aniamaka said.
The police spokesperson, however, explained that none of the herdsmen was found with firearms as alleged on the social media.
According to him, a herder, Alhaji Katti, who has been resident in the area for over three decades, is the only herdsman remaining there.
Aniamaka said the committee warned Katti not to harbour any unidentified migrant herdsmen in the area forthwith.
He said that the command, in conjunction with the committee, was working assiduously toward ensuring peaceful coexistence between herders and farmers in the state.
He called on the residents to volunteer information about any threat to security to the police or other security agencies instead of using the social media to cause unnecessary panic among the people.