Egbe Concerned Farmers Association (ECFA) has decried the continued invasion and destruction of farm lands in Egbe, Yagba West local government area of Kogi state.
Speaking with newsmen in Lokoja, the Secretary of ECFA, Mr. Dapo Adeyemi expressed worries over incessant attacks on the farming communities in Egbe and its environ which resulted in death of a farmer.
He lamented that the atrocities of the suspected herdsmen in the area have continued unabated in the last two weeks.
Adeyemi explained that in the last two weeks, there has been violent attacks by herdsmen on Egbe M’ekun and its environs, noting that these have continued unabated and created fears in the area.
He added that villages and farmlands have been destroyed by the rampaging Fulani herdsmen, adding that the farmers can no longer go to their various farms to harvest farm produce.
He called on the security agencies, the local and state governments to as matter of urgency save the people of affected communities from further incessant attacks and subsequent destruction of farmlands.
“Scores of farmlands located on the Egbe-Eruku road from Aru, Ogele, Agbare to Ofo, have continued to suffer destruction from the hands of herdsmen.
“Egbe Farmers’ Association reported similar incidences on Oke-Ere 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 survivors, Salifu and Isiaku, are currently receiving treatment at Egbe hospital according to reports sent to the platform by Egbe Farmers Association,” he said.
The secretary also lamented that the affected farming communities in Egbe Mekun have lost property, grains, yam and other produce worth millions of naira in an unfortunate incident in past few weeks.
The spokesman of Kogi State Police Command, William Aya, who confirmed the incident, stated that there was a report from the area command that hoodlums raided some communities in Egbe in Yagba West Local Government Area of the state.
Aya explained that police operatives have been sent to the area to forestall reoccurrence, warning that anyone caught causing crisis would be dealt with decisively.
