Following the recent attacks carried out by suspected Fulani herdsmen, members of Obiaruku community in Ukwani Local Government Area of Delta State, have asked the herdsmen to vacate their land so that their farmers can farm in peace.
According to Vanguard, this development comes after eight members of the community were allegedly held hostage by some suspected Fulani herdsmen on a farm in the community on April 26.
According to the community Youth Leader, Chika Uwabuofu, the decision to ask the herdsmen to vacate their land after the herdsmen failed to honor a meeting where the issue of hostage taken by them could be resolved
“After they (Fulani herdsmen) released our people, the next day, the Delta State Committee on Conflict Resolution, Chairman of Ukwani council, our community leaders, vigilante group members and representatives of the Fulani herdsmen met. At that meeting,
we told them that we want Fulani herdsmen to leave our land and we were told to come up with a resolution and another meeting was fixed for Friday. On that day, the Fulani people failed to attend the meeting. As a community, we resolved that Fulani herdsmen carrying out grazing activities on our land must leave so that our farmers can go back to their farms freely without any harassment.
We resolved that no cow must go across River Ethiope to graze. Today we sent our vigilante members to the bush to search, but for now, they are no longer there. We are appealing to the state and federal governments to pay compensation to our farmers whose farm produce had been destroyed by the herdsmen.
We also thank the state government and our council chairman for all they have done to restore peace to the community. “he said
