Niger Delta human rights activist, Comrade Austin Ozobo, has recounted a harrowing encounter with suspected herdsmen along the Ohoror/Bomadi road in Delta State, describing the experience as life-threatening and a reflection of the worsening security situation in the state.
Ozobo, who is the National President of the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI), narrated to DAILY POST that he and others were returning from a burial ceremony in Torugbene when their vehicle broke down near Agadama around 6 p.m.
According to him, the group spent hours trying to fix the car, searching for a mechanic and a replacement tire. By 10:30 p.m., when the repair process was underway, armed men suddenly surrounded them, pointing torches and assault rifles at them.
The attackers accused them of being internet fraudsters, commonly referred to as “Yahoo Boys,” and demanded that they hand over their belongings. They seized their phones and money before ordering them to unlock their devices and transfer funds.
Ozobo recounted how one of the assailants told him to delete data from his phone instead of unlocking it. In his attempt to comply, he deleted his banking apps, which angered the attacker.
He said he struggled to open his device due to panic, leading to a near-fatal moment when the attackers suggested taking him into the forest. However, he believes divine intervention saved him.
In his words; “We were coming from a burial ceremony at Torugbene when our vehicle broke down around 6 p.m., about a kilometer before Agadama on Ohoror road. While we were fixing the car, all our attention was on the tire. Suddenly, we saw some persons pointing torches at us, surrounding us in a circle. At very close range, they pointed their torches along with AK-47 and AK-49 rifles at us and ordered us to go down. They took advantage of us. They even called us Yahoo Boys, saying we should bring all our belongings because we were Yahoo Boys.”
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