Suspected herdsmen injure cattle dealer

•Attackers demand N30m ransom

Suspected herdsmen have injured the Vice Chairman of Arewa Community in Akoko-Edo Local Government of Edo State, Alhaji Hassan Usman. The victim suffered head injuries.

Usman was said to have been lured into the bush by the suspected herdsmen to buy cows and was attacked with a machete.

The Nation learnt that his attackers used his phone to call contacts, demanding N30 million ransom.

The attack occurred one week after suspected herdsmen chopped off the limb of Mr. Arowolo Jerome, a farmer at Ojah in Akoko-Edo Council.

Usman is a cattle retailer, who goes into the forest to buy cattle from breeders and sell to consumers.

The Chairman of Arewa Community in the locality, Muhammed Umar Dankuruku, said the machete cuts affected the brain of Usman, adding that he would undergo surgery.

He said the victim is unconscious.

Dankuruku said the assailants have been using the victim’s phone to call his contacts, demanding ransom.

He added: “They said he is in their custody. Hassan Usman buys cows from Fulani people. He was in the market on Igarra market day. Two of the Fulani came to call him that they have cows to sell in the bush.

“On getting to the bush, they told him to bring money and he said he doesn’t have money. They pounced on him and attacked him with a machete. They snatched his phone and called us that they have kidnapped him (Usman).

“They called Audu, his younger brother. He asked them where they were, they told him they were not ready to tell him where they were.

“About three hours later, another Fulani man returning from the bush said he saw Usman writhing in pains. He came to call us. We went to the bush and took Usman to a hospital in Igarra. We thereafter moved him to a hospital in Auchi. The doctor told us that the attack had affected his brain. We have reported the incident to the police.”

The command spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident.

He said: “We are investigating the matter.”

 

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