Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have attacked and burnt down four towns in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State, killing the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Vunokilang in the area.
According to the report, the gunmen, yesterday, attacked Wunamakoh, Dikajam, Demsare and Taboungo villages, which were destroyed.
It was gathered that the police anti-riot squad and some military men were dispatched to the troubled area, but that the military men retreated to re-enforce while the gunmen took advantage of this to kidnap the DPO who led a detachment of anti-riot policemen to the troubled area to quell the skirmishes.
“While the soldiers were away, the suspected Fulani herdsmen took advantage of this and attacked the policemen where the leader who was the DPO was captured,” an eye witness told Vanguard in Girei which is about 15 kilometres from the state capital.
According to the eyewitness, the body of the slain DPO was later discovered in the bush after he was declared missing for over six hours.
The body of the DPO, who was identified as Okozie Okereofor, a Chief Superintendent of Police, has since been deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Yola.
Adamawa State Police Command, through its spokesman, Abubakar Othman (DSP), confirmed the attack and the killing of the DPO.
The Acting Brigade Commander of the 23rd Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Yola, Colonel Abba Popoola, who also confirmed the development, said farmers and Fulani herdsman had a long standing dispute in the effected communities.
Colonel Popoola, however, added that the situation in the area has been put under control.
Some community leaders in the area, who spoke to Vanguard, said the attackers stormed the four towns, killed scores of the people, burnt all the houses and looted all the available foodstuff.
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