Community women in Aboh, Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State have raised their voices against wanton destruction of their farmlands by Fulani herdsmen who they allege, are uprooting their cassava and yams to feed their cows.
The frustrated and aggrieved women lamented to National Point in two far to reach communities, Abuator and Okpai, that the destruction is pushing them to the wall especially, as they are still battling with the challenges wrath by the 2022 flood which swept away their homes and farmlands.
“We are living in daily dread of destruction of our farmlands by the herdsmen and their cattle. The Fulani men now uproot our cassava and yam to feed their cows and most times, we cannot challenge them at the farm for fear of being attacked or assaulted.”
A pained Angela Akpowe, who was nursing a snake bite as she lamented her ordeal at Abuator, told this publication that her farm has been vandalized twice.
She narrated: “Last year, I planted without harvesting anything as cows ate up my crops. This year again, they have come. In anger, I stayed in wait for the leader of the cows, an Alhaji. I told him, ‘Alhaji your cows have destroyed my farm again, why? What will you do?
“He said, ‘Sorry’ and I asked him if that would be all? No compensation? This is seriously affecting us,” she lamented.
Angela said she had taken the matter to the community chief severally but without result.
Another lamented that the cows not only molest their farms but are now challenging them even at home.
“I was sleeping in my home when deep in the night, one of my children woke me up to notify me that cows have taken over our backyard.
“She had gone out to ease herself when she witnessed the horrifying presence of a herd of cow in our compound. We watched helplessly as they ate all the yam seedlings I managed to buy and stored for planting. As I speak, I am confused. I do not know what to do as I have no yam to plaint,” she lamented.
According to her, “the 2022 flood swept away all that we had. Nobody came to our rescue and some of us who were camped only received N40,000 as we were coming back after the flood and now, the little effort we are making to revive ourselves, rejoicing that the flood did not come this year has been rubbished by these herdsmen and their cows.”
Another herdsmen’s vandalization victim, Mrs Agbore Ngozi said she was still too stunned to think of to go back to farming though she has no other trade.
“What am I farming for, to feed cows? Government should step in and save us from this wahala. Our lands no longer produce well because of oil spills and gas flare and, the little we are managing with, Fulani men will not allow us to harvest.
“They uproot our crops even before us and we are helpless to challenge them. This is too bad. Where is our government? Who will speak for us?” she cried.
A pastor in the Abuator Community Anglican Church, Rev Lucky Etomafuvwe Agwatorhe confirmed the absurd situation in the area. He added that beyond uprooting crops to feed their cows, the herdsmen mindlessly set farms on fire to pave way for fresh grass to grow for their flock.
“We are really suffering here. You must have noticed burnt bushes along the road and in some parts of our farmlands as you were coming in. The herdsmen set those places on fire so that fresh grass will grow for their cows. Many farms have been set on fire causing heavy losses to the owners. We really need help,” he lamented.
Mr Jude, a transporter from Okpai said his farm was set ablaze by the herdsmen and all the yam destroyed only two weeks before National Point visited.
Meanwhile, Okpai women did not have a different story. With deep sadness, they complained that they are now slaving for herdsmen and called on the Delta State government to quickly act to save them from the widespread menace.
Speaking through one of the victims who they appointed their spokesperson on the spot, the Okpai women said they are tired of facing a waste of their hard labour.
“Life is already difficult here as we face harsh farming conditions because of oil which has turned our former rich soil into a poor soil and flood attacks yearly now but for this last year. We are always starting life all over again without support and these cow men are adding to our sorrow. The leaders are not saying anything, we are in serious pain,” she lamented.
Although open grazing was supposed to be against the law in Delta State, as one moved around the Aboh communities, cows were visibly roaming the area. They were either grazing, lying in the bushes or being walked on the major roads while burnt patches of land and some smoking sites were evident between Abuator and Okpai axis.
The menace of the herdsmen was a major issue in the Okowa administration and appears to be resurfacing with greater impunity in far to reach communities where police presence is even not available.
