Delta Community Cries To Govt Over Invasion Of Farmlands By Herdsmen

Obetim-Uno community, Afor in Ndokwa East local government area of Delta State has called on the state government to come to its aid over incessant attacks by herdsmen on farms and farmlands in the area.

The people of the community appealed to the state government for urgent intervention to save them from imminent hunger and loss of lives.

The call was contained in a statement after a resolution was reached by its apex body, Obetim National Council (ONC), signed by its president, Chief Sony Neme; secretary, Chief Hope Osanebi and the community women leader, Mrs Blessing Odili, who confirmed that over 300 farms and crops of the people of Obetim worth over N100 million have been destroyed by the marauding herdsmen.

He expressed concern that the entire community, being an agrarian space that has nothing else to live on but farm produce, is currently helpless.

“Our fear is that these herders are not interested in any form of dialogue. As a result, the community has decided to engage relevant government authorities, which culminated in the arrest of two herders, Abdul Mohammed and Ali Abdul.

“The call became necessary as all efforts by the Delta State Livestock Management Committee (DLMC), with the leadership of the community, to nip the tide have been thwarted by the Fulani herdsmen headed by one Yahaya Mohammed who is resident in Kwale in Ndokwa West local government area of the state.

“This issue has been on for more than a year and they have destroyed crops worth over N100 million. As if that was not enough, the invaders are ready to kill anyone that dare to question them. 

“As a result, most of the farmers mainly women, have abandoned their hard-earned investments in farms and farmlands just to remain alive, while starvations stare them in the face as they have no other means of livelihood.

“All efforts to engage them on peaceful resolution to enable them leave our community in peace have failed. Obetim is a peaceful community and we need a peaceful resolution, which prompted our visit to the office of the state commandant of NSCDC, to resolve issues.

“Our demand is that the herdsmen should leave our community and pay compensation to those whose farms have been destroyed by their cows. We also demand the immediate removal of their cows from our land as the community did not give them any part of our land for grazing,” the statement read.

According to president of the association, all efforts of Mr Matthew Ujene, the officer in charge of Delta North operations of DLMC to make them understand the state’s Livestock Breeding, Rearing and Marketing Regulation Law of 2021 on open grazing in the state have remained futile.