Terror in Delta: Fulani Kidnappers Execute Man in Front of His Family

The gruesome murder of a farmer, Godwin Anuka, in Delta State has reignited fears over the rising wave of abductions linked to suspected Fulani herders. Anuka, who was kidnapped alongside his wife and two young children in Ubulu-Uku, was brutally executed by his captors while his terrified family watched. According to Harrison Gwamnishu, a Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor, the same gang of armed Fulani kidnappers had earlier abducted two other victims and held them hostage in the bush. While hiding in their makeshift camp, they spotted Anuka and his family working on their farm and promptly took them captive as well. “The kidnappers had already seized two people and were holding them in the bush when they saw Mr. Godwin, his wife, and their children. They kidnapped the entire family,” Gwamnishu revealed. The situation escalated as the kidnappers demanded ransom while subjecting their victims to untold horrors. Despite a hefty sum being paid, only Anuka’s wife and children were eventually released. Anuka himself was mercilessly shot dead, his murder unfolding before the eyes of his helpless family. Efforts by local security forces, including the Ubulu-Uku Central Vigilante and the Nigerian Army, to rescue the victims were ultimately futile. Even after the ransom was paid, Anuka’s life was extinguished without mercy.

A Pattern of Terror

This latest incident is just one in a growing list of abductions and executions attributed to Fulani armed groups operating with near impunity. Gwamnishu decried the alarming rise in kidnappings across Delta State, citing the case of Esther Osaze, a female land agent who was abducted and later found dead.

The inability of the police to provide swift intervention has fueled outrage, with many questioning why criminal gangs continue to operate freely. At the time of filing this report, Delta State Police Public Relations Officer Bright Edafe had yet to respond to inquiries about the horrific incident.

Ethnic Tensions Boiling Over

The murder of Anuka has once again inflamed ethnic tensions in Nigeria, with many pointing fingers at Fulani herders as a growing menace. In recent years, kidnappings for ransom have become a lucrative industry, and communities across southern Nigeria increasingly see Fulani militias as an existential threat. While security forces scramble to contain the crisis, one question remains unanswered: how long will innocent Nigerians continue to be slaughtered in their own land while the government fails to act?