A Community’s Descent into Terror as Kidnappings and Killings Escalate
Idjerhe Kingdom, Delta State | May 23, 2025
The Attack: A Mother’s Nightmare
In a harrowing account, 38-year-old farmer Abigail Eboseta witnessed her husband’s execution by armed herdsmen before they abducted her 14-year-old daughter in Ethiope West LGA. The assailants, speaking Hausa, stormed their farm, shot her husband at point-blank range despite pleas for mercy, and slashed Abigail before dragging her daughter into the forest. The traumatized mother now struggles to feed her four remaining children in a half-collapsed home, her youngest son still asking, “When will Daddy return?” 1.
Key Details:
- Victims: Husband killed execution-style; daughter held captive (feared as a forced “wife” for herdsmen).
- Location: Adejei community, Idjerhe Kingdom—a region now dubbed a “battleground” for farmers.
- Pattern: Second teenage girl abducted similarly in recent weeks.
Broader Crisis in Idjerhe Kingdom
1. Reign of Terror
- 44 satellite communities live in fear, with farms abandoned and food supplies dwindling.
- Kidnapping economy: Ransoms up to ₦20 million demanded from impoverished families. One victim, Maureen, recounted how her husband sold land to pay ₦5 million for her release 1.
- Police response: Three youths arrested for protesting with a victim’s corpse to highlight inaction 1.
2. Collusion and Corruption
- Traditional rulers accused: Some monarchs allegedly accept bribes (cash and cows) from herdsmen for land access, enabling kidnappers’ forest camps 9.
- Vigilante infiltration: Local security groups compromised by herdsmen, worsening attacks 9.
3. Humanitarian Fallout
- Displacement: Families flee villages; children hide under desks at school when motorbikes sound.
- Food insecurity: Cassava barns stand empty; market prices triple as farms become no-go zones 1.
National Context: A Spreading Scourge
Delta’s crisis mirrors violence across Nigeria:
- Benue/Plateau States: 56 killed in April 2025 alone; 2.2 million displaced since 2019 711.
- Root causes: Climate change, land scarcity, and weaponized ethnic-religious divides fuel conflicts 1011.
Calls to Action
- Immediate Rescue: Community demands military operations to free abducted girls.
- Accountability: Delta youths urge Governor Oborevwori to suspend complicit monarchs, as done in Edo State 9.
- Federal Intervention: Niger Delta Youth Council pleads for police headquarters relocation to crisis zones 1.
Voices from the Ground
- Farmer William Eruemedafe: “This scar is from my farm. No one is safe.”
- Activist Harrison Gwamnishu: “Politicians must not hijack vigilante reforms.” 9.
- Traditional Ruler: “We are tired of burying our own.” 1.
Conclusion: A Breaking Point
Idjerhe’s plight underscores Nigeria’s rural security collapse. Without urgent action, Delta’s food basket risks becoming a wasteland of graves and ghost towns.
#EndFarmerKillings #DeltaUnderSiege
