lo Women from Bende Local Government Area of Abia State have protested against the destruction of their farmlands by suspected herdsmen.
The protesters voiced their complaints on Thursday as they held a peaceful rally to the Government House in Umuahia, the state capital.
They were received by the Principal Secretary to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, Mr Emma Nwabuiko.
One of the protesters who spoke on behalf of the group, Comfort Nwachukwu, alleged that their crops were always ravaged by cows while some of their kinsmen have been attacked by the herdsmen over time.
“We live in perpetual fear of attack by the herdsmen; hence, our visit here is to appeal to the state government to come to our aid.
“We can no longer condone the destruction of our farmland and intimidation by the herdsmen because our crops are continuously being ravaged by the herds of cattle” Nwachukwu claimed.
Nwabuiko, on his part, told the protesters that the situation calls for urgent attention by both Federal and state governments.
He said that the state government would not rest on its oars to find a lasting solution to the lingering crisis, although the anti-open grazing bill is before the Senate.
The governor’s aide further said that the state government would convene a meeting with the leadership of the Hausa community in the state, with a view to drawing their attention to the menace and to calling the herdsmen to order.
He said: “I want to sympathise with you, I’m aware of the hardships that you face on a daily basis due to the destruction of your farms by the herdsmen. I can assure you that the state government is not folding its arms on the matter”.
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