Fear
of herdsmen attack has gripped Ndiolumbe Nvosi community of Isiala Ngwa
local government, Abia State following the refusal of herdsmen to
vacate farm lands, insisting that it was their right to choose where to
graze their cattle...
The
traditional ruler of the agrarian community, HRH Eze Godwin Ogbonna
told journalists at his Eziaha palace that his people became
apprehensive when a man who gave his name as Mohammed Shuaibu came and
threatened the community for ejecting cattle from farmlands after two
weeks of devastation of crops.
He
said that over 100 herds of cattle had come from Umuoba area and moved
into Okiyi farm land and for two weeks, grazed in the area destroying
farm crops to the chagrin of farmers who watched helplessly as their
labour was wasted.
“You
can imagine where 100 cows stayed for two weeks, trampling on the farms
and feeding on crops. Cassava, corns, vegetables and other valuable
farms crops were laid waste. Hunger is looming as crops ready for
harvest and the newly planted ones were all destroyed.
“I’ve
been appealing to my people to be patient but the herdsmen refused to
leave hence some youths forced them out the farms, they were just driven
out without any fight,”, he explained.
However,
tension heightened when Shuaibu came down from Okigwe and told the
traditional ruler that the herdsmen would not abandon grazing their
cattle at Ndiolumbe, saying that they had surveyed the area and found it
“very suitable for grazing”.
According
to him, the spokesman of the herdsmen insisted that they should be
allowed to graze and pay compensation any time their cattle destroyed
farm crops but the community refused the offer on the ground that they
won’t be living on compensation.
“Our
people are farmers and the herdsmen should understand that our crops
are as important to us as their cattle are to them. So they should leave
us alone and stop courting trouble,” the monarch said.
When
contacted on phone Shuaibu confirmed the misunderstanding with
Ndiolumbe, saying that they were invited by government Thursday where
the matter was resolved. He said that the herdsmen had agreed to take
their cattle away from the farmlands, adding, “we have moved to a
neighbouring village.
It
was gathered that the special adviser to the governor on security,
Capt. Awa Udensi (rtd) had invited representatives of Ndiolumbe and
herdsmen to a peace parley to avoid the dispute resulting in bloody
confrontation.
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