No fewer than 200 women from Uwheru and Ohoror communities, Monday stormed the Ughelli North Local Government Area council’s secretariat, Delta State in protest against the alleged invasion of their farmlands and killing of over 10 indigenes from the communities by Fulani herdsmen.
The women who started thronging the council’s secretariat from about 10 am, alleged that three indigenes of the communities had been killed by the Fulani herdsmen within the last two weeks.
The women who chanted various songs displayed palm fronds and placards with bore inscriptions such as “herdsmen have taken over our farmlands”, “we are afraid to go to our farmland for fear of being raped”, “they have killed our husbands”, amongst others, adding that many of the communities’ women had been raped in the bush by the herdsmen.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, one of the women leaders, Mrs. Rose Osiebe noted that attempt by youths in the community to accost the Fulani herdsmen had ended up in bloodbath.
Calling on the Care-taker Committee Chairman, Mr. Friday Akpoyibo to come to their aid, she complained that several complaints lodged at the Ughelli Police ‘A’ division on the situation had not yielded any positive results.
Responding, Akpoyibo urged the people to employ civility and maturity in the handling of the problem, assuring them that he would report the matter to the appropriate quarters.