As killing of innocent persons in Delta State by suspected Fulani herders continue unabated, some farmers have come out boldly to demand that the herders leave their bushes; they have also asked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to come to their aid.
The farmers want their governor to act now and save their lives and farms while demanding that President Muhammadu Buhari should resign from office. “Buhari must go”, they demanded.
The famers are from Abraka community in Ethiope East Local Government Area and Obiaurku community in Ukwuani LGA of the state.
They were about 2,000 in number as they blocked and occupied the Agbor-Abraka highway over the constant killing, maiming of farmers and raping of women in their communities. They said, “enough is enough.”
Duke further said: “The whole farmers are now hungry because we no more go to the farm. Even if you go, the cassava has been eaten by cows and we are not given compensation.
“We don’t know if we have a governor because if we do, he must come to address us here. We don’t want the DPO and we won’t leave here until we see the governor.”
“Our demand is that they should go and clear the bushes immediately so farmers can start going to their farms and come back home,” he said.
Speaking further, he said for over a year he has not gone to the farm.
Recall that last Sunday, a farmer, Mike Egba, an engineer and resident of Obiaruku while returning from his farm in the area, was killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen alongside his son and close relative along Abraka/Benin Road by Oghonogbo farm settlement junction.
Egba was also a staff of Delta Staff University, Abraka, attached to the Physical Planning Unit.
These two communities are not the only Delta Communities that are experiencing the heinous attacks of the suspected Fulani herders.
Today, the situation has become so pathetic that farmers in communities near Asaba, the state capital, can hardly go to their farms and equally have no other sources of livelihood.
The pain is deep and palpable. They now accuse the political leaders of doing little or nothing to help the situation.
Credit: Business Day