A Fulani cattle herder, identified as Salisu Garuba is reportedly being interrogated by the personnel of the Abia State Police Command for allegedly attempting to kill a woman whose name was given as Esther Ibenmecha with a machete.
The incident, our reporter gathered took place at No. 1 Pepples road in Ogbor Ancient Kingdom, Aba North Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that the herdsman who had hit Esther with a stick after Esther insisted that he must pull out all his cows from her business premises, later used the knife he has with him in an attempt to make do his initial threat to cut off the throat of the single mother.
According to sources, the attempt by the herder to kill Esther failed as the victim used her hand to block the knife from landing on her throat.
Sources at the Aba General Hospital where Esther is currently receiving medical attention, who spoke to our reporter on the condition of anonymity disclosed that Esther, whom they identified as an indigene of Ohafia LGA lost three of her left fingers.
They said that Esther was brought at the hospital after she was taken to the Aba Command Police Clinic who referred her to the hospital because they (Police Clinic) could not handle her case.
“She was bleeding profusely when she was brought here. Two out of the three affected fingers were already dead by the time they brought here. The medical team could only stitch one that has little life in it,” one of the hospital sources stated.
The State Commissioner of Police, Ene Okon when contacted on his mobile phone by our reporter said that he was yet to be briefed on the incident.
A police source however disclosed that though the Garuba was brought to Eziama Division initially and was later handed over to Azuka Police Division, Ogbor Hill who has jurisdiction to the matter.
The source hinted that the CP has directed that the victim should be arraigned in court as soon as investigation was concluded.
The traditional ruler of Ogbor Ancient Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Eze Samuel.A Egege was not on sit when our reporter visited his palace.
But members of his community and residents of Pepples road who spoke to our reporter described the activities of herdsmen in the community as one that calls for concern.
According to them, they have suffered economic losses in the hands of herders who invade their farms with their cows for grazing.
They said that their continued silence over the activities of herdsmen in the community should not be taken for granted and called on government and leaders of the Hausa community in Aba to call their people to order.
They threatened to unleash mayhem on both cows and herders henceforth if they continue to use their farms as grazing reserves.
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The community dwellers who wondered why Garuba would have the effrontery to kill defenseless Esther for insisting that he should move the cows away from her business center, said that they were giving police seven days ultimatum to arraign Garuba in court to face the consequences of his actions, as the community members would resist any attempt by the police and other security agencies to shield the cattle herder from prosecution.
