Herdsmen invade, destroy farms

There is tension in Agu-Ekwegbe, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, following the invasion and destruction of farms worth more than N50 million by Fulani herders while grazing their cattle.

The owner of the farm, a civil servant, John Abonyi, lamented that Fulani herders have resorted to grazing their cattle on his farm.

He regretted that all efforts by him and his workers to stop them from entering his farm hit the rock as the Police refused to come to their rescue even when one of the herders was arrested.

Briefing journalists, who went round the over three hectares of farmlands devastated by herders, he said they invaded the farm he planted both maize and beans a few days after he applied fertiliser on the crop.

Recounting the level of damage, he said: “The major challenge we farmers are facing in South-East is the issue of herdsmen invasion of our farms. As you can see here, the Fulani headers have invaded this farm three times and it’s affecting us. I have reported to the police and other security agencies but they didn’t come to our assistance.

“After application of fertiliser last Monday, they came on Thursday and grazed on my farm. They destroyed everything on the farm where I planted maize and beans. I called Area Command, Udenu and he directed me to call the DPO, I called the DPO and he said I should come to the station. I told him that they should come to the farm to see the extent the herders destroyed my farm but he insisted I must come.  

“The next thing was a call and behold he said he is the chairman of Fulani herdsmen in Nsukka. So, I asked him to come and see what his boys did on my farm, but he said I should come to the police station. Painfully as we are talking about what happened on Thursday, they came back again on Tuesday and grazed inside my farm. There is a forest around here but they preferred grazing inside my farm.  

“I have suffered, I invested more than N50 million here but look at what Fulani herdsmen have done to me. How will I pay the loan I collected? I left the North because of the Boko Haram issue and came back home to do my business but look at what I have been subjected to by Fulani herders. Where will I run to now?"  

Appealing to the government at all levels to come to his aid, he said as a civil servant, he cannot buy anything with his monthly salary because of inflation in the country but tried to sustain hunger with farming.  

Also speaking, the Town Union President of the community, Mr. Ene Uchechukwu lamented the level of destruction on the farmland and appealed for state government intervention.  

He regretted that the community, which survives by farming cannot save themselves as Fulani herders continuously invade their farms with AK-47s, surround them and graze the farm with their cattle.

“The Fulani herdsmen have more sophisticated weapons than security men. You cannot do anything when they surrender you with their AK-47 gun on your farm. We are suffering in Agu-Ekwegbe because we use borrowed money (loan) to farm to enable us to make some profit and take care of our wards but after farming, the Fulani herdsmen will invade and destroy it.  

“We need intervention and help from the Enugu State government. Apart from the destruction of farms, they also indulge in robbing and kidnapping of commuters in Au-Ekwuegbe,” he appealed for help.

Culled from Vanguard