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By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
The continuous attacks on Uwheru farmers in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State by herdsmen suspected to be Fulani has again began at the start of this year’s farming season, terrorizing the farmers including those of Ohoror and Agadama communities in the same kingdom, and stopping them from going to their farms.
On a visit to Ohoror and Agadama communities to ascertain the level of destruction and disturbance by these herdsmen, the farmers told our correspondents that they no longer embark on farming, which is the means of livelihood in the various communities across the kingdom.
Speaking with our correspondent during the visit, some of the farmers who refused to disclose their names, called on the Federal Government to immediately remove the Fulani herdsmen from their farmlands to enable them go back to farming.
Hear them: “We want to call on the Federal Government, which we already know that is giving these Fulani herdsmen power to destroy our farmlands and to kill us at will, to remove them from our communities immediately.
“This is outright oppression by the Federal Government. We have never see where strangers will overpower indigenes of a community and chase the people away from their own farmlands and communities. This is very disturbing to us. As at today, we can’t access our farmlands. We are always kept at home because of their nefarious activities on us. In case we make any attempt to challenge them to leave our farmlands, they can rape our wives and daughters or even go to the extent of killing us. They have been doing it to us before now.
“We are troubled on every side. No hiding place for us in our own land. If the Federal Government refused to listen to us to remove these people from our farmlands, then it means we are not citizens of this country. This will definitely push us to take the laws into our hands to protect us and our children. They should come to intervene now when we are still alive.”
When our correspondent paid a visit to Uwheru main town, headquarters of the kingdom, one of the respected traditional chiefs who didn’t want his name in print said, “Without doubt, the Federal Government under this APC-led government is totally oppressing the Uwheru people by always allowing these Fulani herdsmen to terrorize our farmers especially our mothers, wives and daughters.
“We have reported these atrocities to both the state and federal governments over their oppression and terrorist attacks on our people. Till this moment, no tangible thing has been done by the governments. But if our people were tempted to retaliate, the government by now would have drafted the army to invade those communities especially Ohoror and Agadama in Uwheru kingdom to kill the people. This only shows that, the country belongs to the Hausa/Fulani people.
“But because our people are very peaceful and accommodating, we won’t go to that extent of taking the laws into our hands. We always follow legally laid down procedures to achieve set goals. But we are pleading with the Federal Government to intervene in our plight now. Uwheru kingdom is a notable agricultural community. We are mostly known for the production of groundnuts and sweet potatoes in Delta State. If these Fulani herdsmen will continue to freely disturb us from embarking on farming activities, it will also affect the food supply in the state and also the state GDP. Let the Federal Government come to our aid now if they recognized us as citizens of this country,” he said.
Efforts to speak to the traditional ruler of Uwheru kingdom, HRM, Simpson Obruche, the Odion’Rode of Uwheru kingdom proved abortive as he was not available as at the time of the visit.
