The Egbe Concerned Farmers Association (ECFA) has expressed worry over the continued invasion of villages and destruction of farmland in Egbeland, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi state, according to AgroNigeria report.
The Secretary of ECFA, Dapo Adeyemi, in a media chat with journalists in Lokoja on Wednesday, said the association was concerned about the incessant attack on the farming communities in Egbe and its environ which recently resulted in the death of a farmer.
Adeyemi pointed out that in the last two weeks, there have been attacks by herdsmen on Egbe M’ekun and its surroundings, saying it has continued unabated and created fears and pandemonium in the area, as well as affected farming activities. According to him, villages and farmlands have been destroyed by the rampaging Fulani herdsmen, noting that farmers can no longer go to their various farms to harvest produce.
His words: “Scores of farmlands located along 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 survivors (Salifu and Isiaku) are currently receiving treatment at Egbe hospital according to reports sent to the platform by Egbe Farmers Association,” Adeyemi lamented.
Also, the association secretary said the affected farming communities in Egbe Mekun have lost property, grains, yam and other produce worth millions of naira in an unfortunate incident in the past few weeks. Adeyemi, on behalf of the association, called on the security agencies, the local and state governments to, as matter of urgency, protect the people of affected communities from further attacks and destruction of their farms.
Meanwhile, the Kogi State Police Command Public Relation Officer (PPRO), William Ayah, who confirmed the incident, informed that police operatives have been deployed to the area to ensure peace is restored.