Alleged Herders’ Terror In ONELGA: They Raped Us, Fed Their Cows With Our Cassava – Farmers
Farmers in Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) have alleged that their farmlands have been invaded by suspected Fulani herdsmen with their crops uprooted to feed their cows.
The farmers, numbering over two hundred, protested at the ONELGA Council Secretariat on Wednesday where they presented their grievances to the Chairman, Hon. Vincent Job.
The protesters who carried placards with different inscriptions, described the herders as heartless, saying that the cows do not only destroy their crops, but frequently rob and rape them in the process.
Some of the placards carried by the protesters read, ‘Nama, must go in ONELGA’, ‘Fulani herdsmen must leave our farm lands’, ‘We say no to rape and harrassment’ amongst others.
The aggrieved protesters, many of whom came from Okposi, Okpurukpuali, Obrikom, Obigbor, Egbogoro and Obagi communities, said the atrocious activities of the herders were becoming unbearable
Singing and dancing to solidarity songs, the protesters prevented human and vehicular entry in and out of the Council Secretariat, and demanded that no herdsman should be allowed in ONELGA.
Speaking to journalists, Ambassador Isiodu Nkeiruka, who spoke on behalf of the women, said they have suffered rape and harassment from the armed bearing herdsmen.
According to her, “We have been in pains for the past 8 years because of the activities of herdsmen. We have taken our case to our leaders to no avail. We have contacted gov’t officials, local government chairmen, DSS, JTF and the Area Commander within our area just to tell them that we are in pains!
“The herdsmen are destroying our crops, using knife and gun to terrorize us. We are in trouble in our land. Government should come to our aid, we are helpless”,.
The Chairman of Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area, Hon. Vincent Job who addressed the protesters, appealed to state and federal governments to wade into the matter.
The Paramount ruler of Usomini clan, Eze Allen Osoh urged government to find a lasting solution to the herdsmen menace in the area.
The royal father urged the state government to enforce the Anti Open Grazing law recently accepted by the Governor.
“Let the lama be absolutely controlled. Lama is led by human being.
“No amount of compensation that can make a dead person rise. We don’t want fight; we don’t want our women to be raped. A lot of nonsense cattle readers do in the bush, terrorizing our women, Killing our people we don’t want it”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Hausa Community in ONELGA, Alhaji Mustapha Abdulah, when contacted, declined comment on the matter
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