60-year-old farmer hacked to death

Delta state Gov Okowa

A 60-year-old farmer, Mr. Monday Mordi, has been allegedly hacked to death on his way to farm at a community in Ute-Okpu Kingdom, Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State by suspected assassins.

The incident which occurred on Monday October 17, 2016, has left residents of the agrarian community in fear.

The suspected assassins stabbed him on the chest before cutting off one of his hands and legs, leaving him to bleed to death.

A motorcycle belonging to the late victim was also taken away by the suspected assassins.

The National President of Ute-Okpu Youth Association, Mr. Michael Ikeogwu; and a brother to the late Monday, Chief Sylvanus Mordi, confirmed the killing to our correspondent when contacted on Wednesday.

Ikeogwu told our correspondent that since the incident, members of the community have become apprehensive, while many farmers don’t go to their farms again for fear of being attacked, decrying the rising cases of cultism and other violent crimes in the area.

A senior brother to the slain farmer, Chief Mordi, who was also a former Head of Civil Service in the state, has demanded a thorough investigation into his brother’s murder.

Mordi said, “The death of my younger brother has dealt a heavy blow on the entire family. We are in serious pain. It is our desire for security agencies, the Police, SSS and others to go after his killers and make them to face the full wrath of the law.

“We don’t know who was involved, but wherever they are and whoever they may be, let the security agencies smoke them out. Our community is now living in fear and if they are not apprehended and jailed, no one knows who may be their next victim.

“We have reported to the Police and other security agencies and we demand justice for my late brother.”

A senior Police officer at Owa-Oyibu Divisional Police Headquarters confirmed the arrest of the suspects, but disclosed that they have been transferred to the state Police headquarters in Asaba for further interrogation.

The Acting Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, could not be reached for confirmation, as calls and text messages to his telephone number were not answered at the time of filing the report.