In a display of frustration and desperation, over 600 women from Ozoro community in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State, on Tuesday, poured into the streets in protest over the incessant destruction of their farmlands by Fulani herdsmen and their cattle.
Chanting solidarity songs and waving green leaves, the women, many of who are smallholder farmers, marched across the town’s major roads and streets, ending their peaceful protest at the council secretariat.
The protest was marked by placards bearing strong messages such as: “Herdsmen, leave our farms,” “We are no longer safe in our own land,” and “Our crops are our only means of survival.”
The protestors accused herders of letting their cows roam freely across farmlands, destroying crops like cassava, yam, maize, and vegetables.
Some women recounted how their entire harvests have been lost overnight, with cattle not just feeding on crops but uprooting and trampling them.
“We are suffering. These cows have finished our farms,” said one distraught farmer.
“They eat everything, cassava stems, leaves, and even uproot the tubers. We are left with nothing.”
The women also voiced fears of possible physical attacks, saying they no longer feel safe trying to defend their farmlands.
“We can’t confront them because we’re afraid of being harmed. But if we keep quiet, we and our families will starve,” said another protester.
The demonstration disrupted activities briefly in parts of the town, including areas around the Southern Delta University, but remained peaceful.
Read also:
“These women have every right to speak out,” Ogorugba said.“We cannot allow this destruction to continue. The anti-open grazing law is in place, and it must be respected. We will do all we can to ensure that farmers can return to their land without fear.”
He emphasized that food insecurity was becoming a real threat, noting that the inability of local farmers to access and protect their farms would have dire consequences for the entire region.
Ogorugba further revealed that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had recently summoned all council chairmen in the state to a security meeting, where they were directed to take proactive measures to safeguard lives and property.
“We’ve been given a clear mandate by the governor to act decisively. We will engage the necessary security agencies to enforce the grazing law and protect our communities,” he stated.
