Egume community in Dekina Local Govt Area of Kogi State, North Central Nigeria has alerted the State Government over a looming crises between Farmers and Fulani herdsmen.
National President of Egume Ome Descendants’ Union, Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim through the National Publicity Secretary of the Union, Mr. Noah Ocheni in a statement on Thursday in Lokoja, said Egume people are predominantly farmers and their means of livelihood are being hampered by the activities of Fulani herdsmen in the community.
“The looming crisis between herders and our community is eminent, unfortunate and a great disaster that may bring tears to Egume sons and daughters if nothing is put in place to forestall the incident from escalation.”
“We all know that the Fulanis all over Nigeria are fully armed. In what way can our people withstand this heavy rain that has already condensed in the cloud?.
He disclosed that other communities like Iyale, Ologba shares farming boundaries with Egume have been seized by Fulani herdsmen .
Ibrahim therefore appealed to Kogi state government to be proactive by establishing dialogue which is less expensive than combatting war .
He disclosed that Fulani herdsmen are now scaring farmers from farms with AK-47 and directly stealing their farm produce, while community leaders seem to have cried in vain in their subsequent report of this ugly incident to the appropriate quarters for redress.
“Fulani herders in Egume now sells Cashew nut without owning Cashew farms and now selling Cassava in the market without owning Cassava farm and this ugly development is suffocating innocent farmers in Egume.” he added.
According to him, farmers cried out that ” Fulanis chased us from our farms with their guns, pulled out cassava tubbers, gather our beans for their cows feed on. They have taken over everything we have .
This ugly situation, according to him is not only a threat to immediate food security in the state , but posing a great famine to Egume people in particular and it’s environs in the near future.
One of the affected farmers appealed to the state government to detail its security agents to caution Cashew Buyers Association to stop buying Cashew NUTS from Fulani herders as that will further fuel the ongoing siege on various farms.
He stated that farmers are lamenting over the inability of cashew business men to identify Fulani from real Igala Cashew farmers in Egume community.
It will be recalled that the Commissioner of Police, Kogi state Police Command, Ede Abubakar on 5th February 2020, held a peace/ security meeting with Stakeholders, traditional rulers from Egume, representative of Fulani herdsmen, Ardo Fulani Egume, Secretary Miyeti Allah, Dekina, and the National Executive of Egume Ome Descendants Union were represented at the Five hours meeting.
The security meeting which was at the instance of the Commissioner of Police was as a result of the incessant reports of alleged killing of cows in the area and how to avoid reprisal attack and the attendant consequences.
