Police, Army deploy personnel to restore peace in Edo community after herdsmen invasion

The Edo State Police Command and the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, on Tuesday deployed personnel to the troubled 2nd Abumwere Ojigbelu Camp in Ovia Northeast Local Government Area of Edo State.

It would be recalled that the farm settlement, hosting multi-ethnic farmers was invaded on Sunday by some gun-totting Fulani herdsmen, who were dressed in military uniform, chasing away the villagers and taking over their farms.

The Edo Police Command led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, AS Wase, in a joint operation with soldiers from the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Benin City, led by Major AJ Isa, conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the assessment, the Edo Police Command Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Kontongs Bello, said the joint force had gone around the area, to see for themselves.

Kontongs added that during the tour of the troubled area, it was discovered by the joint team that no house was burnt and nobody was killed nor raped.

He said the suspected herdsmen came to the community and asked the villagers to bring their vigilante men and their guns, but the villagers told them that they did not have any guns, but were shooting fireworks during the Yuletide period and not guns.

“The herdsmen instructed them not to ring their security bell nor use the fireworks again insisting that it is a disturbance to their cows.

“We want to assure the community and all residents of Edo State that the situation is under control.

“The State Government after seeing the report online sent the delegation to assure those from Edo state, Delta State, and those from the North that they should go about their normal business because the joint team is there to maintain peace and order,” Kontongs assured

The Command spokesman added that the assessment was to forestall a breakdown of law and order; arising from the reported disagreement between herders and farmers.

According to him, “what we have here is herders+farmers disagreement. And the CP and the State government have directed that we visit and restore normalcy.”

In his remark, the leader of Abumere 11 community, Mr Solomon Omoragbon, said he was in Benin City when the herders came to issue the stern warning to the people.

“I can say very clearly that no single house was burnt, no woman was raped as reported but they came with guns to warn us to leave our farm produce for their cows.

“They instructed us not to ring our bell anymore and we should bring out any vigilante out, stop setting fire at night. Ask us to tell our vigilante in the area to stop shooting guns.

“I haven’t seen the herdsmen but I saw the food items they ate”, he said.

Pius Osai, a resident in the community said: “the herders numbering 10 warned us to stop ringing the community bell and stop the vigilantes from firing gunshots.

“They (herders) also cautioned us against obstructing their cows from feeding on our plantain and other crops on our farmlands.

“As I speak, we no longer go to our farms for fear of our lives. The cattle are now feeding on our crops,” Osai stated.

Speaking, Mr Pius Osai, 54 years farmer, who hails from Delta State said, they came back on Tuesday morning from where they ran to and when he got to his farm, he saw a young Fulani herder, grazing his cows in his cassava farm.

“As I came this morning with my wife, we saw a Fulani boy inside my farm. He asked what I was doing here and I told him this is my farm. He said the cassava belongs to their cow, plantain belongs to them, and the cocoa belongs to us. I told my wife let us go home because our life is important.”

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