Farmers Protest Cattle Owners Invasion Of Farmland

The Ologbo farmers Association in Edo on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest in Benin against what they called “ invasion of their farmland by the nomadic Fulani cattle owners.’’

The protesters, in their hundreds, stormed the Edo State House of Assembly, asking for swift intervention with a view to removing the invaders and their cattle from Ologbo farmland.

The Chairman of the association, Mr Sunday Aimufua, appealed to the state governor to urgently rescue the community to prevent blood bath.

Aimufua said the Fulani cattle rearers have always been coming to the community’s farmland but added that very recently, the rate at which the nomadic Fulani cattle owners had migrated to the community was alarming.

He said the presence of the nomadic farmers had brought untold hardship to the community as their crops were being destroyed and the community’s water polluted.

“Most worrisome is their threat to lives and property as they are known to be very violent and unruly.

“They go about with dangerous weapons which they use to harass the farmers.

“Very recently, a farmer was macheted by one cattle rearer and the matter was reported to the police. Till date, no action has been taken.

“Our women are now afraid to go to the farms for fear of being raped and manhandled by these cattle owners.’’

Aimufua, therefore, called on the state government to rescue the community from the nomadic cattle owners.

The Speaker, Mr Uyigue Igbe, urged the protesters to go about their normal activities peacefully as the House would look into the issues with a view to resolving the crisis amicably.