From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The people of Ogbonna Community in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State protested on Monday the wanton destructions of their farm crops by Fulani herdsmen.
The protesters, who brandished placards with such captions as “Fulani herdsmen stay away from our farms”, “Our dialogue with herdsmen proves abortive”, “We have no farms to run to”, “Fulani herdsmen, where are Ogbonna community cassava, yams, maize, vegetables and cash crops?”, marched to the state government house to express their displeasure.
Addressing reporters in Benin, spokesman for the group Chief Vincent Usoh said the major occupation of the people of Ogbonna Community is farming but that at the moment, their livelihood is being threatened due to the unbridled activities of Fulani herdsmen.
‘Predominantly, the majority of our people are farmers and for some time now, the Fulani herdsmen have been invading and ravaging our farmlands and even the lands have been degraded,’ he said.
Usoh stated to avoid taking laws into their hands, they have reported the herders to the local government chairman and the traditional ruler of the community to call them (the Fulani herdsmen) to order, but all was to no avail.
‘We have reported this issue to the local government chairman of Etsako Central local government where we hail from and again, we have also reported to the Royal Highness of the clan.
‘Not only that, the Royal Highness called the Fulani herdsmen for dialogue, all efforts made proved abortive.
‘So we now decided that the only means that we can use is to run to the government for safety.
‘Right now, in our farms, there are no yams, no cassava, no groundnut even cash crops,’ he said.
He appealed to authorities to come to their rescue so that they can continue with their farm work and not die of starvation.