The House of Representatives has called for the deployment of security agencies to dislodge suspected herdsmen who invaded Obiaruku communities in Delta State.
The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai, who underscored the need to intensify efforts at ensuring that peace is restored to the affected communities.
In his lead debate, Hon. Ossai alleged that since the first week of July 2021, suspected herdsmen have been invading, attacking and taking over the community farmlands and other landed properties in Obiaruku, Umuebu, Eziopkor, Obinomba, Owah-Abbi, Ebedei and Umutu communities in Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency
of Delta State.
He observed that the herdsmen barricaded the major entrance leading to the communities’ farmlands, thereby depriving members of the communities of access to their farms which is their main source of livelihood.
According to him, women who manage to enter their farms are being raped on a daily basis by the herdsmen who continue to destroy economic trees, farm produce and other staple crops such as yams, cassava, maize and vegetable products.
The lawmaker who solicited for the House intervention lamented that the indiscriminate and sporadic shootings in the communities by the suspected herdsmen have resulted in the death of hundreds of people and some of the corpses are presently in the mortuary while others have been buried.
He expressed concerns that people of the affected communities can no longer go to the farm and have to pay vigilante groups to escort them to their farm on specific announced days.
Hon. Ossai added that as a result of the attacks, there has been a rise in the price of foodstuffs which is causing untold hardships on the people.
Worried by the development, the House mandated its Committee on National Security and Intelligence to visit the communities with a view to investigating and ascertaining the security situation and the extent of the damage.
In a bid to alleviate the suffering of the people across the affected communities, the House urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to the victims.
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