Anambra farmers, children dying in hands of herders--group wail

By Okechukwu Onuegbu

United Anambra State Association Canada (UAA-C), an umbrella body of indigenous people of Anambra state residing at Canada, has cried to the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano to quickly resolve the alleged cases of rape, maiming and murder of rural dwellers by herders.

UAA-C in a petition signed by its President and the Secretary, Chief Chuks A. Ejikeme, and Engr. Chidi Mmadumelu, described the rate rural dwellers especially farmers and children were being raped, maimed or killed by herders and almajirais as worrisome, adding that it was aggravated throughout the period of coronavirus lockdown.


Some communities like Ebenebe in Awka North LGA and Enugwu-Ukwu in Njikoka LGA had between April and June 2020 met with leadership of herdsmen, appealing they vacate their farmlands as their cattle and marauders had at various time engaged in destruction of agricultural produce and other crimes without showing a sign of remorseful.


The Anambra residents in Canada, apparently disturbed by this and other developments,  urged governor Obiano to double efforts towards  securing the lives and the properties of their people at home from the so-called Almajiris and the herders that have allegedly took over their businesses and forests.


The release added ‘‘It is a thing of concern seen the rate our farm produce are being destroyed, our women and females children beaten and raped, while our men and boys maimed, some killed right their in our various communities in the state even as the time of pandemic lockdown.

“I hereby implore our amiable and hardworking state governor to use his good office to fish out the dissidents who have no tangible mission in the state especially those inside the bushes and forests across the state mostly without known identities back to wherever they came from before it is too late.

“I hereby suggest that the governor should empower the traditional rulers, age grades and community vigilante so as to checkmate evil activities of those marauders and terrorists in order to prevent massive attack and genocide in our God given state. A stick in time saves nine. Long lives Anambra state.”