The herder, who is now on the run, it was gathered, always passed through Pepple’s compound with his cattle, leaving the animals to eat crops, defecate all over the place and also mess up washed clothes spread on the line.
A landlord in Bonny Island, Rivers State, Mr Donald Pepple, has been attacked and stabbed multiple times by a Fulani herder for complaining that cows were messing up his compound.
The herder, who is now on the run, it was gathered, always passed through Pepple’s compound with his cattle, leaving the animals to eat crops, defecate all over the place and also mess up washed clothes spread on the line.
As a result of the havoc they wreak each time they pass through his compound, the victim had warned the herder not to bring his cattle into the place anymore.
Defying that warning, the Fulani cattle rearer on Tuesday morning invaded Pepple’s compound again, prompting the man to protest in anger.
The herder reacted angrily, first hitting the victim on the head with a stick believed to be laced with charm before going on to stab the landlord multiple times in his head and other parts of his body.
The herder fled the scene shortly afterwards, leaving behind 20 cows, which have since been seized by members of the community.
An eyewitness, Nengi Chukwueze, who spoke with SaharaReporters shortly after the incident, disclosed that the victim was currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Bonny.
He went ahead to disclose that though the matter was promptly reported at the Bonny Divisional Police Headquarters, officers had yet to apprehend the attacker, who is thought to still be hiding in the island community.
“The victim is still in the hospital. If he was not rescued on time by people around the place, he could have bled to death.
“The Fulani herder is still in hiding. He left his cows and fled the area immediately he attacked Mr Pepple. He is rearing the cattle for a Bonny indigene, so that person has been identified and has been helping with finding him.
“The incident has left residents of the island shocked because it is a peaceful community. We hope the attacker is arrested and prosecuted,” he said.
When contacted over the incident, the spokesperson for the police in Rivers State, Grace Iringe-Koko, promised to get back to our correspondent after receiving a briefing from the Bonny Police Division on the matter.
However, she had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.