BY JOEL GRANDBALL
TENSION is currently high in Edjekota-Ogor, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, as former commissioner, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare raised the alarm over what he described as persistent and damaging attacks on his farmland by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Muoboghare, also a former lecturer at Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, in a petition to the Divisional Police Officer, (DPO), Ughelli Division, lamented that years of repeated destruction of his crops have pushed him, and many other farmers in the area to the brink.
The elder statesman, who retired from academia in 2022, said his over 20 years of farming in Edjekota-Ogor had been marred by incessant invasions by herders, leading to the loss of both cash and food crops.
According to him, “These attacks have become a way of life. For over two decades, I have watched my investments in cocoa, coffee, cotton, cassava, maize, beans, and other crops destroyed repeatedly”.
He disclosed that the latest incident, which occurred between April 10 and April 14, 2026, saw large portions of his farmland overrun, with “acres upon acres” of sweet potatoes, beans, and cotton allegedly devoured by cattle.
“That incident broke my spirit. Enough is enough,” Muoboghare declared.
The former commissioner described the situation in Ughelli North as dire, alleging that the area has effectively turned into a “grazing enclave” where farmers are forced to endure economic losses without protection.
He accused security agencies of failing to act decisively, questioning why no meaningful arrests or prosecutions of suspected herdsmen had been recorded despite years of reported attacks.
Speaking further he held that even incidents involving the killing of security personnel in nearby communities have not triggered sustained enforcement .
Muoboghare also painted a grim picture of governance constraints, noting that both local and state authorities appear powerless in the face of the crisis.
“The local government chairman knows the law but cannot enforce it. The governor signed anti-open grazing legislation but lacks implementation
While expressing sympathy for authorities, he warned that the continued inaction could force farmers to organize themselves for self-defence.
“There is a limit to endurance. When people are pushed to the wall, survival becomes the only option,” he stated.
He cautioned that the rising frustration across farming communities in Ughelli, Ogor, Uwheru, Evwreni, Agbarho, Orogun, and Agbarha could escalate into broader resistance if urgent steps are not taken.
Muoboghare further alleged that the activities of the herdsmen are part of a wider security threat confronting the country, warning that rural communities are increasingly exposed and unprotected.
He stressed that if farmlands located close to major highways, including the Port Harcourt Expressway, could be repeatedly attacked without intervention, then no part of the region can be considered safe.
The retired don ended his petition with a stark warning, urging authorities to act swiftly to prevent a breakdown of law and order. As of the time of filing this report, the Delta State Police Command had yet to respond to the allegations.
