Crisis looms in Akwa Ibom community as Fulani cattle invade farmland, destroy crops
…Village Head calls on AKSG for intervention
Residents of Ikot Ediet, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State on Saturday decried the continued occupation, invasion, and destruction of their crops and farmlands by Fulani cattle.
The Village Head of Ikot Ediet, Chief Friday Umoekot, in an interactive session alleged that the cassava plantation farm in the area known as Nkana farm covering hundreds of hectters were eaten up and destroyed by the cows owned by herdsmen.
Chief Umoekot, stated that for over three years, the Herdsmen has deliberately used their Nkana Farmland grown with cassava, Maize, melon, fruit pumpkin, yam, cocoyam, and cucumber, African bean amongst others to graze their cattle.
His words, “cattles have been destroying the farmlands and crops of our women, widows, and even youths in the village. Feeding the family and paying of children’s school fees has become a big challenge and burden to many families following the destruction of our farm””.
Speaking further, Chief Umoekot lamented that the incessant attack by the Fulani herdsmen had increased tension in the community and rendered many families hopeless.
“So many people as a result of the cattle destroying their cassava farms abandoned the place instead of wasting their efforts in something they will not harvest”, he said.
He, however, called on Akwa Ibom State Government, ably led by the Governor, Mr. Umo Eno to come to their aid.
While describing the governor as patriotic leader whose vision of ARISE AGENDA is to promote agriculture and maintain peaceful coexistence among different tribes in the state, Umoekot sought for urgent intervention in the area to curb untold crisis.
Also speaking, the Village Chairman, Mr. Victor Nyong Bassey, described the attack and ugly situation as deliberate plan to create enmity and hatred amongst villagers and strangers in the area.
Speaking with newsmen in separate interviews, the people who are predominantly farmers reminded the present government that the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly under former Governor Udom Emmanuel, had passed a bill banning open grazing of livestock in the state, while pleading that the government should revisit the issue.
Mrs. Margret Umoren, a widow and victim of the attack, told our reporter that the cattles had destroyed everything she planted in the farm rendering her hopeless.
“”We are calling on the state government and security agencies to come to our rescue. As a widow, I do not have any other trade than farming, but the ugly experience is that we no longer go to our farms because of the annoying occupation of our farmland and the destruction of our crops by the rampaging Fulani herdsmen” she lamented”
In his part, the Youth President of the community, Comr. Ekereobong Ekanem, asserted that the herdsmen and their cattle had been occupying their farmland, threatening, harassing, and maiming people.
“”We have written officially to the State Commissioner of Police severally through our Village Head and Paramount Ruler to come to our aid to curb the crisis that may play out in the nearest future, but all prove abortive”, he lamented.
Ekanem, submitted that all efforts put in place to stop them from entering their farms proved abortive. That, according to him was because they received constant threats with guns and matches each time they tried to chase them away.
“They have been feeding their cattle with our crops, harvesting our cassava, and giving it to them to feed on”, he lamented.
