Herdsmen take over Delta communities, demand payments from farmers

Fulani herdsmen have invaded and taken over three Delta communities in Ughelli North local government area, according to the State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Governor Okowa made this known when he played host to Police Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in charge of Zone 5.

“There is a particular community in Delta State, at a point in time, we discussed it at security council meeting and just yesterday (Thursday, 15/03/18) while I was in Ughelli North for my regular Town Hall meeting, the people raised a very serious issue about the Uwheru community.

“It is a very pathetic situation, because the President-General of the community spoke on the fact that out of their seven communities, three of them are actually occupied by the herdsmen and the farmers are told that they must pay the herdsmen before they can enter their farms and that is very disturbing.

“Because it is strange for indigenes to pay money before they can enter their farms and I believe something has to be done before it evolves into a crisis situation.

“This has been going on for several years but it has gotten worse of recent, so, AIG, this situation has to be addressed immediately as security issue,” Okowa said.

He, therefore, called on security agencies to curb activities of herdsmen in the state before it snowballs into crisis.

Okowa said his administration is concerned about the security of life and property of every Deltan and their communities, stressing that the Police and other security agencies must strive to protect the different communities in the state.

He lauded the synergy between security agencies in the state which has ensured a peaceful state that has become home for investors.

“As a people, we know that the more peaceful we are, the more investors will come into the state and in the course of this year, we will witness a lot of ground breaking ceremony as investors are coming to the state in their large numbers.

“We are doing a lot to provide infrastructure, we are doing a lot to engage our youths, the more youths we engage, the less idle minds we will have in the state,” the governor said.

He assured the AIG that his administration will continue to support security agencies in the state, saying, “Delta State is largely peaceful, we take matters of security serious, there is a lot of collaborations between different security agencies in Delta State and beyond.

“We take the issue of information gathering serious as we nip security challenges in the bud, we also, have state advisory and peace building council which is made up of experienced men and women of impeccable character, they also, help to maintain peace in the state.”

The AIG had earlier told the Governor that he was on a familiarisation tour of Police formations in the state, observing, “your administration has rendered uncountable support to the Police Command in different areas, your support has greatly, enhanced the performance of the Command and we want to thank you and assure you that the Police will ensure an all time peace in the state.”

TheNewsGuru reports AIG Rasheed Akintunde paid the governor a courtesy visit at the Government House Asaba on Friday.

hmmmmm
wat a pity dis country is very confused