The Igala speaking group comprising of nine local government areas of Kogi State has called on the government to do something urgently to deliver them from the hands of Fulani herdsmen, who they claimed, rape their women and daughters at will and also kidnap, rob and kill innocent people in their area.
Speaking on behalf of the ethnic group, the President of Igala Cultural and Development Association(ICDA), Alhaji Abubakar Amodu, said the people lived in morbid fear everyday as the Fulani herdsmen have literally taken over Igala land, destroying farm crops with their herds and beating or even killing any farmer that dared challenge them.
The ICDA president, who cried out over the weekend during the inauguration of the over N100million ultra-modern Igala Unity House at Anyigba by the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, said their rivers and water of streams, which the people often drank due to non-availability of potable water, have been polluted while the people were left with nothing to drink.
He also said that the herdsmen robbed and kidnapped innocent people on daily basis, and most times, killed those who could not afford to pay the ransom demanded, and urged the government to quickly come to their aid.
He said the building of the Unity House was aimed at fostering the needed peace and unity for the overall development of Igala land.
According to him, “The House will serve as an interaction venue on issues affecting the entire zone as well as hosting festivities and other cultural activities”.
Amodu disclosed that the successful completion of the project was made possible through donations from illustrious sons and daughters of Igala Kingdom with a whopping support of N50million from the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
Bello, while performing the inauguration ceremony, appealed that the house should serve as a rallying point for all Igala people, stressing that the effort in constructing the new edifice was a begging of more goodies to come to the zone under his administration.
Bello, who described the Unity House as a symbol of peace and love in Igala land, commended all those that contributed to the completion of the project.
The governor said that he would ever remain proud of the Igala nation, and thanked the people for their steadfast support to the success of his administration considering their strength as the largest and more populated section of the state.
He promised to complete all the ongoing projects in the zone, namely construction of Idah-Ajaka-Umomi-Ugwalawo-Anyigba Road, Okpo-Ibana-Ogugu Road as well as rural electrification, drilling of boreholes for supply of potable water and control of erosion across communities in the district.
Also speaking at the event, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Edward Onoja, appreciated the financial support of the entire Bello’s cabinet as well as the state House of Assembly members towards the completion of the project, describing the gesture as a demonstration of love for Igala people.
In his speech, the Attah Igala, Dr Michael Idakwo Ameh Oboni stressed the need for all his subjects both at home and in the diaspora to join hands in the preservation of Igala rich cultural heritage.
The royal father also called for the sustenance of the prevailing peace in the land by all and sundry, affirming that no development can take place in an atmosphere of rancour and acrimony.