A relative of the deceased, Musa Danlami, said the incident happened around 4:13 p.m. when the deceased, who was working in his farm, sighted the rustlers in their large numbers heading towards his direction and he took to his heel.
He said the deceased, in the process, fell into a big ditch and hit his head on a stone from where he sustained injuries on his head and leg.
According to him, the rustlers shot into the air after a failed search attempt on him, adding that they removed yam seeds inside a sack in the farm and left.
Danlami added that residents of the community were thrown into confusion after hearing the sound of the gunshots, adding that about an hour later, the locals mobilised with some local hunters to the farm.
“When the family became worried of whereabouts of the farmer, they mobilised to the farm and saw his hoe and a keg of water abandoned. One of the hunters found him inside a big ditch with blood stains on his body, ‘’ he narrated.
He said the deceased was immediately taken out of the ditch and conveyed to a clinic at a neighbouring Kabi village, where he was confirmed dead.
He said the remains of the deceased have been buried at the community.
Our reporter learnt that the suspected rustlers have been going from farm to farm in search of yam seeds already planted, apparently to roast and eat.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Kuje Divisional Police Officer (FRSC), Mr. Echo Nwabecho, was not successful, while a police officer at the division said they were not aware of the incident but assured it would be investigated.
