The incessant clash which in the past was limited to herders-farmers has now gain a new momentum as matters stemming from disputes over land usage, land encroachment, cultism and kidnapping has further posed severe challenges to farmers in Egbelubi Ndashi- Etche LGA of Rivers State.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in the destruction of farmlands, crops, and livestock, causing significant economic losses for farmers.
Speaking on the level of decay and current security situation in the state, the Agricultural development programme ADP manager Rivers state chapter, Vitalis Chinda-Gbule in an interview with Today fm’s Olawale SanusI explained that the current security situation in the agro sector is highly critical and it is unfortunate that nothing is being done to give farmers more protection.
He said the declaration of the state of emergency of food security by President Bola Tinubu can not achieve the desired result as no reasonable farmers would want to farm even when provided with all the necessary tools as no farmers would want to risk his or her life.
He said the security challenges is not only limited to Etche local government area but a general issue as two-third of the state is facing the same security challenges.
“the declaration of state of emergency on food security by President Bola Tinubu to tackle rising cost of food commodities will amount to nothing until the critical issue of insecurity facing the agro sector is addressed.
“The truth is the morale and man power at the agro sector is currently at an all time low due to security challenges like the incessant farmers herders clash and cult activities that farmers now have to deal with”.
Some of the farmers who have suffered the brunt of the herders-famers complained that they can no longer go to their farms due to the atrocities of the herders.
One of the farmer ,Godwin Amadi, said the herders have now turned his farmlands at afara and odagwa in Etche to their abode and operates there without any fear.
” herdsmen now operates freely and also allow their cattle to ravage my one hundred hectares of farmland on the orders of some community chiefs.
“My farmland at Odagwa and Afara community in etche worth millions of naira were destroyed by herders with impunity.
“during one of my confrontations with the herders on my land I was told by one of the herdsmen leaders identified as Muhammad that they were allowed on my farm by some community chiefs”.
On their part, The Miyetti Allah cattle breeders association of Nigeria, Rivers state branch leader, Muhammad Abubakar, said the Miyetti Allah can not be held responsible for the farmers herders clash as he maintained that the herders perpetrating evils are only doing so under the pretense of being a Fulani herders.
He added that not all herders are Fulani as some are just causing mischiefs so as to damage the good reputation of Fulanis.
“We the Fulani are not bad people and we will never harbour bad people in our midst. I feel like there are some people out there that are doing everything possible to give the Fulani tribe a bad name and by the grace of God I will continue to work in my capacity to see that the perpetrators are brought to book”.
Abubakar while condemning the incessant attacks against farmers also expressed his readiness to work with any local government chairman or agencies to see that the issue of herders farmers clash becomes a thing of the past in their domain.
While explaining how he has been making efforts to see that the clashes come to an end, Abubakar also revealed how the immediate past Rivers state commissioner of police, Nwonyi Emeka, had charged Etche local government area council chairman, Obinna Anyanwu to hold a security meeting with the Miyetti Allah so as to work together in ensuring that herders farmer clash comes to an end but nothing was heard of the meeting as he was never engaged by the council boss.
It will interest you to know that Rivers state Farmers are now not only limited to farmers-herders conflict in the State as issues emanating from land disputes have also been added to the long lists of challenges creating a climate of fear and uncertainty among farming communities.
The president of etche farmers cooperative union Godwin Akandu noted that conflicts from land disputes has struck fears into the heart of farmers and also affected the farming activities in IPO and umuabali in obibi community.
He said farmers can no longer go to the farm due to the land dispute and other security challenges rocking some parts of the LGAs.
” the conflict from the land disputes has struck fears into the heart of farmers and also alter the farming activities in IPO and umuabali obibi community where the conflict is rife”.
Speaking on the way forward the Agricultural development programme ADP manager Rivers state chapter, Vitalis Chinda-Gbule, said the security operatives should help by stepping up their game as their presence in red zones will help boost farmers morale and also boost food production.
The ADP manager also revealed that the Rivers state ministry of agric in other to curb the incessant clash of herders and farmers has also intensify it’s engagement with the authorities of the Miyetti Allah.
