By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
Farmers from Egbe Community in Yagba West local council of Kogi State on Monday took to streets against incessant destruction of farmlands and crops by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
The Irate farmers during the peaceful protest urged the State government to call the herdsmen in the area to order to avoid Farmers/herdmen clashes that may arise as a result of desttuction of farmland and crops waiting for harvest.
The spokesman of the farmers, Mr.Wale Oti who spoke to newsmen on the incident lamented that the way and manner in which the farms and crops waiting for harvest have been destroyed are unquantifiable and posing eminent famine in the land.
Oti explained that Egbe is a boundary town between Kogi and Kwara State, with about 50,000 inhabitant whose major source of livelihood is farming stressing that the present destruction of farm produce by the suspected Fulani herdsmen may bring hardship to the citizenry sooner than later.
He pointed out that farmers Market n the community had endured enough but reacted now because of the worst situation in which they found themselves, coupled with the warm reception by the state government to the herdsmen that came in their numbers to settle in the community.
“Despite the fact that several reports have been made to the Elegbe of Egbe, oba Ayo Irukera to call the herdsmen to order, we are making another move to further butress our bitterness and pain over what the herdsmen are doing to us.”
During the peaceful protest on Monday, it was gathered that police came to dislodge them, but farmers conducted themselves peaceful and went to the palace of Elegbe of Egbe as their final bus stop of the protest.
“While the protest was on, it was discovered that two Fulani herdsmen were found with gun which they were disarmed and taking to police station for further investigation,” he stated.
