After exhausting peaceful options, residents of Ike-Onicha in Onicha-Ukwuani, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State, have invoked traditional deities against suspected herdsmen.
The herdsmen were accused of invading their farmlands and threatening the community’s livelihood.
Community Secretary, Ogbuiji Augustine Chukwuma, said repeated efforts to persuade the herders to leave failed, prompting the elders to invoke the gods of the land.
The community alleged that armed herders established a camp between Ike-Onicha and Ogbagu about four weeks ago, forcing farmers, especially women, to abandon their farms for fear of kidnapping, rape, and attacks.
He lamented that crops had been destroyed several times, leaving residents hungry and unable to sustain themselves.
Confirming the development, Delta North Livestock Management Committee Coordinator, Matthew Ujene, said his team investigated the complaint, discovered an illegal camp in the forest, and dismantled it after the herder allegedly refused to vacate the area.
Ujene disclosed that the matter has been escalated to the local government chairman, who has scheduled a security meeting for next week, while reiterating the need for strict enforcement of Delta State’s ban on open grazing to prevent a recurrence.
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