Delta Police Clarifies Fulani Herdsmen Invasion of Asaba through River Niger

…As New Police Commissioner Parley Journalists in State.

By Miracle Enuji

The Delta State police Command has allayed the fears of Deltans following the trending video on Social Media of the arrival of some Fulani herdsmen to Asaba by three flying boats through the River Niger alleged to be armed with sophisticated weapons.

In a reaction by the Police Command, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Aniamaka Andrew, in a press release as obtained by Asaba Metro, the Security Agency confirmed the presence of the Fulani Herders but however stated that none of the herdsmen was found with firearms.

The Press Statement titled, ‘RE: FULANI HERDSMEN ARRIVED ASABA BY FLYING BOATS’ read thus;

“The attention of Delta State Police Command has been drawn to a video circulating on the social media to the effect that some Fulani herdsmen have arrived Asaba by three flying boats through the River Niger and that they were seen with suspected firearms.

“The Command wishes to state that on Sunday, 21st January, 2018 at about 3pm, some herdsmen arrived Asaba bank of the River Niger in three flying boats with their cattle. On receipt of the information, members of the Committee on Herdsmen/ Farmers recently inaugurated by the Police Command, led by its chairman Chief Cassidy N. Iloba, Senior Special Assistant on Security to the State Governor, interrogated the herdsmen, and thereafter they returned to Kogi State where they came from.

“It is necessary to clear that none of the herdsmen was found with firearms. One Alhaji Katti, who has been a resident herder in the area for the past three decades, is the only one remaining there. He has however been warned and bounded over not to harbor any migrant herdsmen forthwith.

The statement added that, the Command, in conjunction with Herdsmen/Farmers Committee is working assiduously towards ensuring peaceful coexistence between herders and farmers in the state.

While advising the public to be vigilant, the Police Command called on any person with credible information about any threat to security of any kind to furnish the police or other security agencies with such information instead of using the social media to cause unnecessary panic amongst the people.

Meanwhile, the new Police Commissioner in the State, CP Muhammad Mustafa mni, has assured Deltans of the Command’s determination in ensuring adequate security and safety of lives and properties for all residents in the state, adding that the Command under his leadership, will be working in synergy with other security agencies, well-meaning individuals and organizations in the state and will do everything humanly possible towards ensuring adequate security of life and properties of the citizens.

Mustafa who resumed duty as Police Commissioner in Delta this month, gave this confidence during his first media interaction with Journalists in the State, adding that his officers and men have been directed never to rest on their oars in securing their areas of responsibilities.

He assured that his administration will encourage mutual respect between the Police and the Public but will not condone any act of corruption and impunity on the part of his personnel, nor lawlessness and disregard for constituted authority on the part of the citizenry.

The Police Commissioner further tasked Deltans to collaborate in the fight against the common enemies of the society such as criminals of all descriptions – kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists and criminal herdsmen etc.

CP Mustafa also thanked members of the Press for their cooperation with the Command in time past and urged members of the Press to continue to cooperate with them, as the Press is also a critical stakeholder in the security project, adding that reportage of events should at all times be guided by the principles of objectivity and fairness taking cognizance of the security implications of every report before publication.