Okowa urges FG to churn out policies to tackle menace of herdsmen

WITH the growing uneasy calm over incessant killings by dreaded Fulani herdsmen in some parts of Delta State, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, churn out policies to curb the menace.

The governor made the call weekend during the 25th coronation anniversary of the Ovie of Ughelli Kingdom, HRM Wilson Oharisi III, at Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.

The obviously worried governor, however, noted that the menace of Fulani herdsmen was not restricted to Delta State, but a national challenge.

According to him, “The Federal Government should have a policy direction for us to live in peace with the Fulani herdsmen.

“I do hope that there will be policy direction to reduce the clashes.

“I want to appeal to our people to continue with the peaceful engagement process while we continue to pressure the Federal Government to have a policy direction on the issue.”

It will be recalled that the Abraka axis of the state has been experiencing abduction and killings by Fulani herdsmen in recent times with no concrete effort being exerted by security agents to down the trend.

Okowa, at the ceremony, commended traditional rulers for ensuring that their kingdoms were peaceful which had translated to a peaceful state.

“If all the Kingdoms are peaceful, the state will be peaceful and I want to state that I am proud of our traditional rulers because, they are working in one accord, with the existing peace in the state, investors will come in and our youths will get employment,” he disclosed.

While congratulating the king on his 25 years of being on the throne, Governor Okowa expressed confidence that with peace, the state was on the path of the progress.