Women of Ikabigbo community in Uzairue Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State on Tuesday, came out in their numbers to protest against the activities of herdsmen in their community.
The women in their hundreds took their protest to the palace of the traditional ruler, Chief Braimah Alegeh, to register their displeasure over what they called ‘wanton destruction of crops and farm land’.
The women have also asked herdsmen to leave, as their presence has caused them more harm than good.
Spokesperson for the protesting women, Rose Ekhalumhe, said the herdsmen have destroyed their farmland and crops with their cattle.
“They want to create hunger in our community. They will enter our cassava farm, uproot the cassava to feed their cattle while the cows would destroy the remaining ones.
“Yam barns are not spared in this destruction by herdsmen and their cattle. We are now afraid to go to the farm because many of us have been beaten up and injured by herdsmen for daring to ask them to stop destroying our crops and farm lands.
“So we are here to let you know that we are tired of their atrocity. We can’t farm anymore and the little ones we have cultivated have been destroyed by the herders and their cattle. We want them to leave our community. We didn’t give them any land,” she said.
In his response, Alegeh assured the protesters that their grievances would be channeled to the appropriate authorities for action.
“I have reported the matter to the clan head, Ogieneni of Uzairue, His Royal Highness Kadiri Omogbai, that I am inundated with the destruction of crops and farm lands by herdsmen in my community, and he promised to look into it,” he said.
He also appealed to the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to save the community and its people from the herdsmen, who he said want to create hunger in his community.
