Two residents of Usie community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State say they endured a double ordeal after confronting herdsmen grazing cattle on local farms.

Rev. Francis Irikefe and Mr. Benjamin Enemuwe said they were attacked during the confrontation and later detained by police when they reported the incident.

The development highlights growing tensions in rural communities where farmers say cattle frequently destroy crops and threaten livelihoods.

Residents of Usie said the problem has persisted for months, with herders allegedly leading cattle onto farmlands where cassava and other crops are cultivated.

According to locals, previous arrests often ended with small compensation payments that did little to cover losses.

Confrontation on the farm

Trouble escalated when cattle reportedly strayed onto farmland belonging to Irikefe.

He contacted Enemuwe, a member of the Delta State Livestock Management Committee, the body responsible for enforcing the state’s anti-open grazing law.

Enemuwe said he found several groups of herders grazing cattle across nearby farms when he arrived.

“The herdsmen have been disturbing us for a long time,” he said. “When I got there, the groups we usually saw had increased.”

He said most of the herders fled after recognizing him from earlier encounters at the Ashaka Police Station.

One older herder stayed behind.

According to Enemuwe, the man attacked him with a cutlass, leaving him injured. He said he fired warning shots in response before the attacker fled.

Victims become suspects

After the confrontation, Enemuwe and Irikefe said they gathered the stray cattle and moved them to a community primary school to prevent further damage to farms.

They then headed to the Ashaka Police Division to report the attack.

Enemuwe said the situation changed once they arrived at the station.

“As I was explaining the incident, the officer received a call instructing that we should be detained,” he said.

“They said we fired shots and were suspects.”

The two men were later released on bail after intervention from community leaders and officials of the livestock management committee.

Cleric recounts detention

Irikefe said he was shocked by the turn of events.

According to him, they were even contacted earlier by individuals claiming to represent the herders and seeking to negotiate the release of the cattle.

However, the police decision to detain them followed shortly after.

“They said a call came from Abuja that we should be detained because shots were fired,” he said.

The cleric said he was handcuffed and held overnight, despite explaining that he was a pastor.

He said the Divisional Police Officer later ordered the handcuffs removed after realizing who had been arrested.

Community ultimatum to herders

Matthew Ujene, coordinator of the Delta State Livestock Management Committee in Delta North, said the incident was linked to false information reportedly given to police by a community member.

Following the development, community leaders convened a meeting at the palace of the Onotukun of Usie.

The gathering issued a one-week ultimatum to herders to remove their cattle from the community.

Police explain arrest

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer Bright Edafe said the two men were initially detained because authorities believed they had taken the law into their own hands.

“They were arrested because they did not report first to the police as required,” Edafe said.

For Irikefe and Enemuwe, however, the experience remains troubling.

They say the incident shows how quickly victims of farm attacks can find themselves treated as suspects while trying to defend their livelihoods.