Farmers under the aegis of Egbe Concerned Farmers Association, ECFA, has decried the continued invasion of their villages and destruction of farm lands in Egbeland, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Worried by the incessant attacks on the farming communities in Egbe and its environ which has resulted in death of a farmer in Kogi State, the association has called on the security agencies and the government to save the affected communities from further attacks.
The Secretary of ECFA, Mr. Dapo Adeyemi, who made this known while speaking chatting with journalists in Lokoja yesterday, lamented that the atrocities of the suspected herdsmen in the area have continued abated in the last two weeks.
Adeyemi explained that in the last two weeks, there have been violence attacks by herdsmen on Egbe M’ekun and its environs, noting that these have continued unabated and created fears and pandemonium in the area.
He stated 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 the farm produce.
According to him, “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 Okere 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 survivals (Salifu and Isiaku) are currently receiving treatment at Egbe hospital according to reports sent to the platform by Egbe Farmers Association.”
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.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Police Command Public Relation Officer (PPRO), William Ayah, who confirmed the incident, stated that there was a report from the area command that some hoodlums have raided some communities in Egbe in Yagba West Local Government Area of the state.
Ayah explained that police operatives have been sent to the area to forestall the occurrence, warning that anyone caught causing crisis would decisively dealt with.
