UGHELLI/Nigeria: Leaders and indigenes of Oviri-Olomu Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the Delta State have condemned, in strong terms, the destruction of cassava crops by members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), operating in the community, describing it as evil.
The youth chairman, Comrade Urhobojevwe Ebrobota, who conducted newsmen round some of the farms destroyed by herdsmen in the community, appealed to the Delta State Government and leaders of MACBAN in the state to call the cattle breeders operating in the community to order to avoid breakdown of law and order.
Comrade Ebrobota lamenting, said, “Look at what the herdsmen did to us. They carried their cows into the farm and destroyed the cassava.”
“Something that somebody suffer for a year plus, only to be destroyed by herdsmen just one day. We are not happy about it. The authority should call them to order if not, we will not take it easy with them,” he warned.
The President General of Oviri-Olomu Community, Chief John Ewenede, in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, said that he was sending a petition to the commissioner of Police and the state government.
Chief Ewenede, who was visibly angered by the herdsmen actm said he had already called the state secretary of Miyetti Allah and the leader of the herdsmen in Oviri-Olomu, Alhaji Jubril and Alhaji Aliyu Garuba respectively to lodge his complaints.
Mrs Egbon at the cassava farm destroyed by herdsmen
According to Chief Ewenede, Alhaji Aliyu Garuba confirmed the destruction of the cassava farm lands but shifted the blame to other herdsmen operating from Ewu Community, whom he said invaded and destroyed the crops with their cows.
Chief Ewenede disclosed that he would drag Alhaji Jubril and Alhaji Aliyu Garuba before the police to produce whoever did it or they should move out of the community, just as he confirmed that a petition was already being sent to the police.
He urged the state government to expedite action on the passage of the anti grazing bill by signing it into law in the state, adding that it was disheartening for one to labour and another destroyed, especially in this hard economy.
One of the farmers whose cassava were destroyed, an elderly woman, Mrs Egbon lamented that her only means of livelihood had been destroyed.
She appealed to the state government, and spirited individuals to assist her in her travails so that she would not die of starvation and hunger.
A resident of the community, Mrs Remember Nana, who commented on the incident described the herdsmen as heartless people with dead consciences.
Mrs Nana said that the destruction of the cassava was a delibrate act since there was enough grass in the bushes for the cows to graze on, just as she appealed to the state government to act fast to avert the looming danger.
Others whose cassava farms were destroyed by the herdsmen included Mr Okoro Ekeremor, Mr Ohhenevwarhe Ofoyene and Omotighrekor Iboyi.
