FulaniHerdsmen Rape: ‘Enough is enough’ Residents Demand Eviction Of Killer Fulani Herdsmen From Bayelsa Fevruary 04 , 2021 | EASTERN PILO...
FulaniHerdsmen Rape: ‘Enough is enough’ Residents Demand Eviction Of Killer Fulani Herdsmen From Bayelsa
Fevruary 04 , 2021 | EASTERN PILOT
Report By: Jesupemi Are
Women from Epie and Atissa communities in Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa state, took to the streets on Wednesday, to protest against what they described as the menace of herdsmen in their communities. While waving leaves at the Etegwe-Edepie roundabout in Yenagoa, the women chanted solidarity songs in their dialect.
They also barricaded the busy route, causing a gridlock on the road. The women complained that the herdsmen had allowed their cows to destroy crops on their farms. One of the protesters, who identified herself as Mercy Adovuya, said cattle was no longer wanted in the area and urged the government to address the situation. “We cannot continue to keep quiet over this problem. We don’t want cattle in our area again. It is time for the government to act before something else happens,” she said.
“Enough is enough. The herdsmen should leave our farmlands. The state government should protect us and our crops from herdsmen and their cows.” Seriake Dickson, former governor of Bayelsa, during his administration, had allocated a section of the state-owned palm estate at Elebele community to the herdsmen as part of efforts to discourage open grazing in the state capital.
“No grazing” signposts were also erected around farmlands in Yenagoa to warn the herdsmen again trespassing on farmlands. However, it appears not much was done to ensure strict compliance, as herders are said to lead their cattle to graze on farmlands. In a similar development, women in Uromi, Esan local government area of Edo state, had hit the streets on Wednesday, demanding an immediate eviction of herdsmen from the area. They accused the herders of killings, rape and kidnapping, saying they could no longer go to their farms due to fear.
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