By Omoye Esther

ASABA—A palm wine tapper, Mr. Okorie Anyalokwu, has been killed by robbers, Monday, in Aliogor/Alijematan community in Alisimie Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State.

The father of three was said to be on his way home from where he had gone to tap palm wine with his mother in-law’s new motorcycle.

The palm wine tapper was said to have left home very early on the day to tap palm wine in a farm settlement belonging to the people of Aliren community, off Alisimie-Igbanke Road.

According to a family source, the wife of the deceased, Mrs. Bridget Anyalokwu, alerted her husband’s kinsmen and her relatives when her husband did not return home as at 1p.m., a development, the source said, was very unusual.

Following the alert, members of the family and the entire community were said to have raised a search party.

A source said: “We went to the area where the palm trees he had gone to tap is located. Some people went to his farm, but he could not be found.

“It was when we were returning that we saw a gallon of palm wine that he tapped by the road side. We searched the area and found his body in the bush with his head almost severed off. This was at 6.45p.m.”

According to the source, it was at that point that they realised that the motorcycle was missing.

The family reported the incident at Agbor Police Station.

Meanwhile, two suspects, Augustine Mitti, alias Boge, from Alijemisi and Happy Jolly, alias Eluelue, from Alijematan both in Alisimie community, have been arrested in connection with the crime.

They were alleged to have said in their confessional statement that the motorcycle, with number plates SLK 546 QE was moved to a village in Uvbe community, Orhiomnwon Local Government area of Edo State.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Agbor Division, CSP Akintunde Oyeniran, could not be reached at press time.

However, an inside source in the station confirmed the incident, saying that the matter was being investigated by the police.