BY ISAN ISIOMA CARLOS
RESIDENTS of Igbodo Kingdom in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State have called on the state government for an immediate removal of herdsmen from their communities, following their continuous destruction of farmlands and crops by grazing cattle.
The call was made by the aggrieved residents from Anikpeku, Idumuobior, Idumuozei, Anieyime, Ilabor, and Ndobu communities as they took to the streets and market square to register their grievances.
During the peaceful protest, they carried placards with inscriptions such as: “Fulani Herdsmen Must Go,” “Say No to Fulani Herdsmen in Igbodo Land,” “We Are Suffering in Igbodo Land,” “Our Farmlands Are in Trouble,” “Leave Our Land,” “Delta State Government Save Us,” “Save Our Farms,” and “No Grazing on Our Farmlands.”
The protesters demanded for the immediate exit of herdsmen from Igbodo Kingdom to save their farmlands and prevent imminent famine.
Speaking with journalists, one of the spokespersons, Mr. Chinedu Augustine, said the people of Igbodo had suffered for the past eight years due to the activities of herdsmen, who he alleged had taken over their farmlands. He added that residents now live in fear and no longer sleep peacefully due to persistent threats by the herders
One of residents name Mr. Augustine, who spoke to our correspondent, revealed that many farmers have abandoned their farmlands for fear of being kidnapped, killed, or raped.
He lamented that the people’s livelihoods depended solely on farming, stressing that Igbodo Kingdom is known as a major agricultural hub.
In his words: “These hoodlums also kidnap our people, and we are forced to pay huge ransoms to secure their release. The most painful part is that these miscreants now enter people’s homes without fear and abduct them. We are calling on the government to rescue our people from these evil doers.”
Another protester identified as Mr. Daniel Nnabuife, described the continued presence of herdsmen in Igbodo as a direct threat to peace and security and called on relevant authorities to intervene urgently.
According to him: “We are suffering in Igbodo. We are compelled to raise our voices against the rising cases of kidnapping, destruction of farmlands, and insecurity caused by herdsmen”.
These acts of wickedness, he said, were unacceptable. “We have endured enough and can no longer stand by while our people are kidnapped, raped, murdered, and our land terrorized. We call on the three tiers of government to come to our aid.”
Also speaking during the protest, Mrs. Ogordinanwa, Mr. Victor Okwudili, Mrs. Onyeisi Enemokwu, and several others expressed fear over going to their farms.
They noted that what began as isolated cases of cattle invasion had escalated into a full-blown threat across the kingdom.
One of the traditional chiefs in Igbodo Kingdom, Chief Ngozi Dichika, the Iyase of Igbodo Kingdom, condemned the herdsmen’s continuous incursions into farmlands where cattle could destroy crops painstakingly cultivated by farmers.
He expressed concern that the agrarian kingdom, which relied solely on farming, is now helpless, as he appealed to the federal, state, and local governments for urgent intervention to prevent hunger and further loss of lives.
“We do not want herdsmen in our land. We want our land to be free from these hoodlums.”
