Herdsmen Destroy Farms, Threaten Women In Rivers

Women of Igbo-Etche in Etche Local Government Area, Rivers State, have raised alarm over the activities of Fulani herdsmen who have continued to attack them and destroy their farmlands at gun-point.
The women claimed that the Fulani herdsmen have been threatening them will guns and arrows over complaints against their criminal activities in the area.
The aggrieved women, led by wife of the Paramount Ruler of Igbo-Etche, Eze Innocent Nwosu, Mrs. Nkechinyere Nwosu, made the claim when they staged a protest march to the monarch’s palace to seek his intervention.
Mrs Nwosu called on the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike and security agencies in the state to come to their rescue in order to avert further crisis in the area.
The wife of Ekwu I of Umuekwune-Ohoro, urged the state government to stop the herdsmen from entering their farmlands with immediate effect.
Speaking in an interview with The Tide, Mrs Nwosu said, “we want the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, to come and help us over these herdsmen and their cattle, they are destroying our farmlands.
“They used to come with guns and arrows. When we talk, they will point guns and arrows at us, and threaten to kill us. That is why we do not complain anymore because we do not want to die,” she explained.
While addressing the aggrieved women in his palace, the Paramount Ruler of Igbo-Etche, Eze Innocent Nwosu, said, “we are peace loving people, and we do not want to engage anyone in war, that is why we are calling on the governor to give urgent attention to the sufferings of Igbo-Etche people over the herdsmen menace.
“If herdsmen destroy our crops, what do they expect us to feed on?”, Nwosu asked.
Commending Wike for some developmental projects sited in the area, the royal father urged the governor to pay urgent attention to the plight of Igbo-Etche people, who he said were predominantly farmers.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana