Farmers condemn killing of member in Kogi
The Egbe Concerned Farmers Association (ECFA) has denounced the ongoing invasion of the villages and destruction of farm land in Egbeland, Yagba West Local Government Area of the state, in light of the ongoing attacks on the farming communities in Egbe and its surroundings that have resulted in the death of a farmer in Kogi State.
The group also urged local and state governments to act quickly to protect residents of the impacted communities from continued unabated attacks and the ensuing loss of farmland.
Dapo Adeyemi, the secretary of ECFA, revealed this yesterday in Lokoja while interacting with journalists. He bemoaned the fact that the atrocities committed by the alleged herdsmen in the region have not abated for the past two weeks.
Herdsmen have been violently attacking Egbe M'ekun and its surroundings for the past two weeks, according to Adeyemi, who said that these attacks have persisted unabatedly and caused panic and chaos in the neighbourhood.
He claimed that the ravaging Fulani herdsmen had damaged villages and farmlands, adding that the farmers were unable to access their various farms to gather the harvest.
He claims that "hundreds of farmlands along the Egbe-Eruku route from Aru, Ogele, Agbare to Ofo have continued to be destroyed by herdsmen.
“Egbe Farmers’ Association reported similar incidences on Okere road; Agbara-Ibo, Ogan and Igbo-Oba farmlands. Farmers on Koro road are not spared, as those farming the fertile valley corridors of Alani and others are parking and moving back towards less fertile Oke-Igbo and Igba-Ata farmlands that are nearer home.
“Also on August 28, four Gwari settler-farmers residing at Bareke area of Egbe were attacked, while one was killed, two others escaped with machete wounds at Ogele farmland. The two survivals (Salifu and Isiaku) are currently receiving treatment at Egbe hospital according to reports sent to the platform by Egbe Farmers Association.”
The secretary also bemoaned the fact that in the recent weeks, a tragic incidence cost the afflicted farming communities in Egbe Mekun millions of naira's worth of property, grains, yams, and other goods.
In the meantime, William Ayah, the public relations officer for the Kogi State Police Command, who confirmed the occurrence, said there had been a tip from the local command that some hoodlums had stormed certain towns in Egbe in the state's Yagba West Local Government Area.
Ayah explained that police officers have been dispatched to the area to prevent the incident and issued a warning that anyone found to be inciting a crisis will face harsh punishment.