A farmer arrested by the police for allegedly poisoning nine wells which serve as the only source of water for residents of Kasesa, a village near Damaturu, Yobe State capital, says he committed the act to scare away Fulani herdsmen who had been invading his farm to graze their cattle and fetching water from the wells.
25-year-old Mohammed Mohammed had reportedly confessed to pouring a chemical, Fecal Coliforms, which experts said, can cause serious water borne diseases, including cholera and typhoid.
The police said Mohammed committed the crime on Tuesday, May 25, and claimed he perpetrated the act to deter Fulani herdsmen.
“He poured insecticide into nine wells which are sources of water to residents and herds in the area. When we collected the well water as sample and conducted laboratory analysis. https://scudnewsng.com
“We discovered that it was contaminated with fecal Coliforms, which can cause cholera typhoid and other water borne diseases. Therefore, we identified and arrested the suspect”, said ASP Dungus Abdulkarim, spokesperson for the state police command.
While urging farmers and herders to avoid acts capable of inciting violence, Abdulkarim said the suspect would soon be charged to court.
