Edo women protest against herdsmen’s activities

Women of the Ikabigbo community in Uzairue Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State yesterday told herdsmen occupying their community to leave, as their presence has caused them more harm than good.

The women in their hundreds took their protest to the palace of the traditional ruler, Chief Braimah Alegeh, to register their displeasure over what they called ‘wanton destruction of crops and farm land’.

The spokesperson for the protesting women, Mrs Rose Ekhalumhe, said the herdsmen have destroyed their farmland and crops with their cattle.

“They want to create hunger in our community. They will enter our cassava farm, uproot the cassava to feed their cattle while the cows would destroy the remaining ones.

“Yam barns are not spared in this destruction by herdsmen and their cattle. We are now afraid to go to the farm because many of us have been beaten up and injured by herdsmen for daring to ask them to stop destroying our crops and farmlands.

“So we are here to let you know that we are tired of their atrocity. We can’t farm anymore and the little ones we have cultivated have been destroyed by the herders and their cattle. We want them to leave our community. We didn’t give them any land,” she said.

The women also appealed to the state government and security agents to come to their aid to allow them to attend to their farm activities and avoid hunger.

While responding, Alegeh assured the protesters that their grievances would be channelled to the appropriate authorities for action.

“I have reported the matter to the clan head, Ogieneni of Uzairue, His Royal Highness Kadiri Omogbai, that I am inundated with the destruction of crops and farmlands by herdsmen in my community, and he promised to look into it,” he said.

He also said the palace would make a formal report to the local government authorities and the state government to intimate them of the unwholesome activities of the herdsmen and that the community has no land for herdsmen and their cattle.

He, however, appealed to the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to save the community and its people from the herdsmen, who he said want to create hunger in his community.