Women cut across the 10 – wards of Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State have cried out for help following consistent invasion of their farms by Fulani herdsmen with their cattle.
The women who spoke with National Point in Eleme said the cattle were often let loose on their farms by the herdsmen who feed their cassava and maize to the cattle.
Apart from the destruction of their crops, they disclosed that several women had been raped and kidnapped by the herdsmen, who have violently taken over their farms.
The situation, they told National Point has created hardship in the homes as they could no longer go to the farms to cultivate or even harvest the crops that had matured.

The women said their cases was even more pathetic because their men no longer went to farm and were not around to provide them with security or help keep the herdsmen away.
Mrs. Grace Akara, 51, told National Point that one Fulani herder had threatened to kill her in the farm if she challenged him.
She said the herders move camps within the farms where they sleep and often went to farms on days that people do not go to farms to feed their cattle with cassava.
Mrs Akara recalled that the women had taken their cries to the police and the local government but they got no response from them.
She recalled that the herdsmen kidnapped one woman and her two daughters in her farm and were kept hostage for three days before they were rescued by the army.
She said some of the herdsmen alleged that they used to settle community chiefs before moving in their cattle into the bush. “We want the Federal Government and the state government to intervene,” she cried.
Another woman, Mrs. Grace Friday Oyor from Ogale, also recounted the experience of Ogale women in the hands of the herders.

She said because of the threats by the herdsmen, women now go to farm in groups or hire escorts to go with them. But she said on such days when people go in groups to their farms, the herdsmen stay away..
Mrs. Oyor recalled that one Mrs. Ngajo Nwolu died of shock recently when she went to her farm and saw that all she had laboured for had been destroyed by the cattle brought by the herdsmen.
“The only thing that can stop this is if our leaders can come together. Unfortunately, our chiefs do not farm. They are paid by government,” she said.
Edith Tetenwi from Alesa said the chiefs of the community had given out an area of land to Fulani people where they live with their families. “They come out from there to our farms which they ravage. And they are expanding their territory,” she lamented.
Mrs. Gladys Osaro from Onne told National Point that the herdsmen and their cattle were “destroying the labours of the women. The women are having BP,” she said.
She said it was not just about cattle destroying crops. The herdsmen were also kidnapping and raping women. “Our chiefs should not lose the responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the people. See what happened in Benue. We cannot afford to have it here,” she said.