PH Mundial – Port Harcourt Online Newspaper News Across The Region
Related Articles
By Young Erhiurhoro, Warri
More reactions continue to trail the ban on the sale of cow meat in Uwheru communities in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. The ban comes on the heels of recent horrors and killings in Agadama, Avwon and Ohoror communities by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
During a recent visit to Uwheru local market by our correspondent, some of the local traders, especially cow meat sellers, interviewed on the issue said, “The Fulani herdsmen are making life more difficult for us here. We produce from the farm and sell in our local markets around the neighborhood. Today, because of their ugly activities, we are short of food production. We don’t even have enough to eat, let alone to sell to make money to run our homes.
“Today, I’m thrown out of market because of the ban placed on the sale of cow meat. I’m a cow meat seller but can’t sell now because the issue has not been settled by the government. They came here to give us hope that all shall be well soon, but till this moment, nothing has been done. I can say that our representatives in government are indirectly supporting these Fulani herdsmen because of the fear of losing their political positions,” one of the traders said.
Another trader who also spoke on conditions of anonymity said, “From what we heard, they said the Fulani people have gone as far as to poison their cows for our consumption. And you know these people; they can do anything do-able. The government of the day is in their hands. And they are using it to their best advantage at the detriment and perils of the Niger Delta people.
“This is why the ban on sale of meat in Uwheru kingdom came from our community leaders to protect and save our people and children from their plans. It’s not done to witch-hunt our own people especially cow meat sellers. So we expect the Delta State government and the Federal Government to come in now to settle this issue once and for all to create peace amongst the people,” he said.
In Agadama community, Mr. Philip Edjosuona, a teacher and a community leader noted that, “The ban on the sale of cow meat in our communities is very important based on the information we heard. You dare not doubt because these people can go extra mile just to do havoc to us. They have no human sympathy. They even value the death of a cow than that of a human being like them. So the ban is very necessary at this time to protect our people from their evil plans.
“Secondly, the so called Fulani herdsmen are still in our farms as we speak right now, even after slaughtering more than eleven of our people. We can’t go to our farms to do any farming activity for fear of being killed. They have taken over our fishing lakes and ponds. We can no longer fish on them now. So we’re placed in perpetual hunger and starvation. Our governor, the senator representing us, member of House of Representatives and other people representing us in the government truly visited us but we want to implore them to act fast now before another deadly sinister happen to us. They should keep to all their promises and soothing words. It’s really easier said than done. They shouldn’t give us hopeless hope at this time we needed their support as a government,” he said.
Efforts to speak to the president general of Uwheru kingdom, Mr. Cassidy Akpedafe, to share his views on the said ban on the sale of cow meat in Uwheru kingdom proved abortive as we were told he travelled to Asaba, the state capital to rally support from the Ifeanyi Okowa government on the suspected herdsmen’s attacks on Uwheru communities.
