Bayelsa community boils over killing of woman by suspected herdsmen

The Bayelsa State Police Command has launched an investigation following the killing of a 39-year-old woman in the Opume community of Ogbia Local Government Area the state by suspected herdsmen.

It was gathered that the family of the victim identified as Waadu Alfred became worried when she did not return from the farm over the weekend prompting a search party to look for her.

The search party was said to have met her decomposing body tied to a tree with machete cuts and signs that she was raped before being killed.

Her death had sparked protest as women and youths of the community blocked the road linking Ogbia to Nembe Local Government Area protesting the killing as they threatened to retaliate against the perpetrators.

The outrage, however, made the leadership of the council deploy the police to restore order while the elders of the community sued for peace to allow the police to investigate the incident.

Meanwhile, confirming the incident, the spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, Asinim Butswat said an investigation has commenced in order to unravel the development.

Some weeks ago, women from Otuasega community in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state had complained of constant invasion and destruction of their farmlands by herdsmen.

The state government in a bid to stem the attacks by suspected herdsmen had directed the eight local government areas to set up sub-committees to work with its Anti-Open Grazing Law Implementation Committee to bring the situation under control.