Northern group in Rivers community petitions Police, DSS over killing of ‘pregnant cows’, others

The northern community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State has petitioned the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) over the killing of 21 cows belonging to one of their members in Odagwa community.

The National Chairman of the Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Coexistence in the south, Alhaji Musa Saidu, in the petition addressed to the security bodies, said that 15 of the cows were pregnant at the time they were allegedly killed.

The group added that five persons also lost their lives when a police officer allegedly stormed a cattle market in Elelenwo area of the state.

Saidu said he visited the scenes of the incident in Odagwa community and Elelenwo in company of Alhaji Mohammed Tukur, the Miyetti Allah Chairman in Rivers State and his secretary Alhaji Turaki who is also the deputy chairman, Arewa Community, in Rivers State.

According to the petition, the northern community appealed to security agencies to identify those behind the killing of the cows and prosecute them.

The petitioners further accused the police officer whose name could not be disclosed of allegedly invading the cattle market without the authorisation of the state Commissioner of Police.

They called on the police authorities to investigate and make the police officer face the full wrath of law.

The petition quoted by Vanguard read, “The matter was also reported to the traditional ruler of the community, the Onyishi Odagwa, Eze Samuel Odum. It is essential to note that the herder and his forebears had lived in Odagwa community and been in this cow business for well over 50years without molestation until this incident took place.

“On Tuesday, 23rd August at 8pm, northerners at the Cattle Market, Elelenwo, were attacked by a team of security personnel led by a Superintendent of Police. When we were alerted of the development and arrived in the market, eye witnesses alleged that five (5) persons lost their lives and were carried away to an unknown destination, while two had bullet wounds.

“The wounded victims were rushed to the hospital, but unattended to, … It took the intervention of the State Director of the DSS before they were finally admitted at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (formerly BMH). When we made a preliminary inquiry, we found out the Commissioner of Police was not aware of the order nor the mission of the Superintendent of Police. The said Cattle Market is owned by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.”

The petitioners prayed “That thorough investigation be carried out to unravel those behind the killings of the 21 cows at Odagwa, Etche and the perpetrators arrested and prosecuted.

“That the activities of the said Superintendent of Police be thoroughly investigated as he is seemingly operating outside the orders of the Commissioner of Police in the state and brought to book.

“That justice be seen to be done on the Police Superintendent by making him account for the five persons allegedly killed by him and his team; and the wounded persons currently hospitalized. They should be adequately compensated.”