Residents of Pipeline Road in Oteri-Ughelli and Izigwe area of Ovwor-Olomu, spanning Ughelli North and South LGAs in Delta State, are again gripped by fear following the return of Fulani herdsmen grazing their cattle in the area. Earlier this year, between April and June 2025, these communities suffered a wave of kidnappings and violence, leaving some dead and forcing many residents to flee or sell off their properties.
The alarming crime had earlier sparked increased security measures, as community leaders reportedly reached an agreement with cattle owners to keep herders out of the area. This truce held from July through October, with no sign of the Fulani herdsmen or their cattle in the areas. However, their reappearance in early November has reignited anxiety amongst residents. They recalled some horrifying incidents, such as a landlord who was shot dead in his home in the Izigwe area after denying herders access for kidnapping. A developer was kidnapped and only released after a payment of a heavy ransom, and a vigilante member’s daughter was abducted while he was away responding to another security emergency.
A resident in the area said, “We are no longer sleeping well since they (Fulani herdsmen) resurfaced in the area with their cows grazing every day, and you cannot do anything to them because they are allowed to bear arms but we are not allowed.”
As fear spreads anew, residents are calling on authorities to strengthen security in Pipeline Road and Izigwe Avenue to prevent further tragedies and restore safety to the fast-developing suburban communities without subjecting residents to any form of tension.