Corpses exhumed as ‘herdsmen’ attacks in Delta community

No fewer than nine bodies have been exhumed across communities in Uwheru kingdom, Ughelli North council of Delta State following suspected herdsmen attacks last Thursday and Friday.

The Nation learned that the bodies were buried in shallow graves, three of which discovered Sunday evening.

Security agencies had demanded to see the bodies of those alleged to have been slaughtered in the renewed attacks on five communities.

It was gathered that a team of security operatives and members of the community discovered more shallow graves on Monday while searching for bodies of victims allegedly killed by the herdsmen.

The bodies were said to have been taken to the Police Area Command Ughelli in three trucks at about 7:30 pm on Monday before they were moved to the morgue at the Central Hospital, Ughelli, for autopsy.

The state Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Patrick Muoboghare, who hails from the area, confirmed the development.

He claimed two more bodies were yet to be found.

“Six bodies were exhumed today under the supervision of soldiers and policemen. The six bodies are now being deposited at the mortuary at Ughelli. Gory pictures will follow later.

“Total number so far is nine. Two more bodies are yet to be found. The search continues tomorrow (Tuesday),” the professor stated in a phone conversation, late Monday.

Commissioner of Police, Mr Hafiz Inuwa told The Nation, “Yes, corpses were exhumed by the community people and they brought them to the police station. That is the information I got. We are now going to find out how it all happened.

“Who buried them, who exhumed them, when were they buried, circumstances that led to the deaths, by whom and who must have buried them without reporting the matter. We are investigating because we cannot just see things like this and keep quiet. A lot of questions must be asked,” he said.