Delta community protests amputation of 28-yr-old man’s hand by herdsmen

There was a halt to vehicular movement to Bomadi and other coastal communities Monday for several hours as the angry people of the Uduophori Community in Patani Local Government Area of Delta State barricaded the only access road in protest of the amputation of a 28 years old man.

It was learned that the victim, Mr Freedom Akpodiete, a motorcyclist, father of two and bread winner of his family along with his aged widowed mother were attacked while conveying a passenger to Uduophori community.

The visibility angry protesters displayed leaves, and placards with inscriptions such as, ‘Fulani leave us alone, ‘Stop raping our wives, women and daughters’ ‘President Tinubu rescue us from Fulani herdsmen killings, ‘Governor Sheriff Oborevwori come and rescue us from herdsmen bondage.’

They said that the community had been stopped from going to their farms by the marauding Fulani herders.

Addressing newsmen during the protest, the President General of Uduophori, Mr ThankGod Ado, said, “We are protesting due to the yearly and regular presence of herdsmen in our community and forest.

“What prompted this one was the recent attack on one of our brothers whose hand was amputated by the suspected Fulani herdsmen after he was dragged into the forest.

“We are not happy, and we are saying ‘enough is enough,’ and as peace-loving, law-abiding people, we don’t want a situation where the government would sit down to allow herdsmen to kill us all.

“Our people can no longer go to their farms because of the incessant attacks of rape and ransom payment; our planted cassava is uprooted and given to their cows.

At times, they would come to the community to burgle petty traders’ stores to cart away foodstuffs, and when they accost our people in their farms, they will send their husbands home to go and bring money, and before they would return, the women have been raped.

We say no to these herdsmen, and we are calling on the federal, State, and local government to come and rescue us from these terrible people.”

Also speaking, 85-year-old Pa Benjamin Obotorino said, “For over 15 years, we have been under the bondage of Fulani herdsmen, they would come to Uduophori with their cows to destroy our crops.

Their cows no longer eat grass as they feed on our cassava, yams, and other cash crops; we are tired of their continued killing, rapping, and maiming of people.

“They rape our wives, women, and daughters, and they also rape men in the forest too and after which they will kill them; we are not happy, and we are calling on the government to come to our aid urgently.’

“When they kidnapped our women, they will ask us to pay a ransom of N80,000 to 100,000 to release them, and before they will set them free, they are being raped. We cannot continue like this, so we are calling for help.”

The women’s leader of the Uduophori Community, Mrs London Edith, with tearful eyes, called for urgent assistance from the government and all other relevant authorities as they can no longer live with strangers in their land.

An indigene of the Community, Mr. Henry Emaduku, said, “In 2023, Fulani herdsmen attacked one of our brothers Oghenegarhe Asadera, was attacked and his hand amputated, and in 2024, they attacked the head teacher of the primary school in the Community, and in this 2025, they also attacked Mr Freeborn Akpodiete and amputate his hand after collecting his android phone and unspecified amount of money.

“And as I am speaking with you now, herdsmen have taken over our primary school 3 in the Community, and the school is currently shut before this recent attack on our brother as Chairman of Motorcycle/Keke riders, I am calling on the government to save us from herdsmen continued attack.” He added.