*Two victims burnt to ashes 

*Two soldiers shot, in stable condition

 8 corpses of farmers killed by herdsmen in Delta exhumed for investigation
One of the victims burnt to death by the herdsmen

THE corpse of eight farmers from Uwheru in Ughelli North local government area of Delta State whom were reportedly killed by hoodlums suspected to be herdsmen last Friday, have been exhumed by a search team made up of the police and representatives for investigation.

Two of the corpse were exhumed on Sunday while another six were exhumed on Monday afternoon.

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The exhuming of the victim’s corpse is coming just as the community also confirmed reports that two others killed, were also burnt to ashes by their assailants whom the locals claim are armed Fulani herdsmen.

iBrandTV was able to identify one of the victims who was reportedly killed and subsequently burnt as Itoje Dennis from Otor-Iyede in Isoko North local government area of Delta State who has since been taken to his hometown for burial.

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President General of the the community, Cassidy Akpedafe and the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa, had Sunday, disagreed on the reported killings with the police boss claiming that some individuals in the state are using the reports to cause apprehension in the state.

The CP while questioning the authenticity of the claims that at least 8 persons were killed by the herdsmen with the aide of persons dressed in military uniforms, said: “If there are any (deaths), why are they hiding such corpses from the police.”

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Reacting to the claims of the CP, the community PG accused him of being economical with the truth and in a swift move to prove him wrong, the community on Sunday afternoon, succeeded in exhuming two corpses of those killed and took them to the Central Hospital, Ughelli for autopsy.

When iBrandTV visited the hospital morgue on Monday morning, the decomposing corpse of two of the victims were seen, one of which was burnt after it was reported to have been shot to death.

The community PG said: “As we speak (Monday morning), seven persons are dead inside the bush and we are yet to recover their corpse.

“17 persons have been rushed to the hospital for medical treatment and I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the police not to cook up reports on this matter.”

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Meanwhile, a security source from the 222 battalion, Agbarha-Otor, has confirmed that two of its men were shot during last Friday melee in the community.

Though the source could not confirm who shot the soldiers, the source who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak on the matter, said: “Yes, two soldiers from the battalion who are stationed at Bomadi and drafted to the area, sustained injuries during the incident.

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“They are in stable condition and are currently receiving medical attention for injuries sustained during the incident at the Bomadi General hospital.”

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