Omiete Blessing
Women from Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State have lamented the continuous herdsmen attack in their farms, calling on the Rivers State Government to intervene.
The women explained that herdsmen attack was becoming incessant inside their farms in Luusue Sogho, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Speaking at the Ogoni Women Environment Assembly organised by Lokiaka Community Development Centre in Nortem, Bori, the women explained that the situation was now affecting food production, as they were now scared of going to farms.
Keenam Erebura said they have carried out a protest to Bori Divisional Police Station on the matter, but the Police was not helpful as the herdsmen were allegedly asked to pay N30,000 after their cows had destroyed more than two hectares of cassava farm.
Another participant at the programme, Glory Basi explained that herdsmen rape women in their farms, and also kill some farmers who resisted the cows from entering their farms.
Basi expressed “The issue of herdsmen we are having in our community is so serious that we don’t know where to place our hands, we don’t know who to run to and where to start the matter from.
“They are raping our girls, even our men, those of our men that are not strong to stand before them they kill them automatically. The annoying experience is that the same our community people that are collecting money from these herdsmen, are inviting them to our farm.
“I want government to help us, let herdsmen go away from our community, our farm, our locality, we don’t need anything like herdsmen in our locality, let government drive them out so our women will have peace, be able to go to the farm and work so we can sustain our children”.
She added that because of the chieftaincy tussle in the community, the Chief has been unable to attend to the matter for fear of been attacked.
Speaking on the theme; ‘Towards a sustainable society’ the Executive Director of Lokiaka, Martha Agbani explained that the group, periodically meets as Africa Women to deliberate on issues about climate and environmental conditions.
Agbani who noted that the Ogoni environment is badly degraded, said women are the most affected, expressing the need for the assembly.
She expressed “We are meeting with women from oil bearing communities and those impacted by land graps, those that their lands have been destroyed due to some environmental conditions beyond their own immediate strength to manage and all that. We are meeting with them today discussing issues about climate change, what insecurity has caused them in terms of food production, others.
We are also discussing on issues of herders, oil companies divestment; if they know about it and what measures they’ve put on ground. So that’s what we are here trying to do with Ogoni women today. We have over 200 women in the hall today meeting with us and discussing issues around these”.
Speaking further, Agbani said “These women need to know that they are actually living in degraded environment, and that if discussions are been held they should also know what they are discussing about them.
They should also need know why the companies are divesting, the compensation they need to pay. Are they really paying them and what kind of compensation are they paying, also if companies are leaving their environment how do they really exit, those exit strategy and all that they need to know”.