The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed an attack by suspected herdsmen on Egi land, Ohali-Elu town of ONELGA, Rivers State.

A statement signed by Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Mohammad, and released today in Port Harcourt, said that on Thursday, at about 5:30 a.m., the police in Ohali-Elu received reports that unidentified assailants suspected to be herdsmen had struck in the area, leaving one Pastor Geoffrey Ogagaghene dead after severe cutlass cuts.

The statement disclosed that in the build-up to the attack, there was an unreported case of stealing of unspecified number of cattle belonging to some herdsmen allegedly by some youths in the community.

“The case was never reported to the Police, (but) it is reasonably suspected that the attack might have been carried out by the herdsmen as reprisal for stealing their cows,” the statement said.

It said that contrary to reports that six persons died in the attack, the command could only confirm the death of Pastor Geoffrey. The statement noted that calm has since returned to the town following the heavy deployment of armed mobile policemen to forestall the breakdown of law and order.

•Photo shows armed herdsmen.