Residents of Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo and members of civil society organisations, on Wednesday, stormed the Lagos-Benin Expressway to protest against incessant attacks by herdsmen on their communities.
The protest, which lasted for several hours led to a gridlock on the highway, the News Agency of Nigeria reports. According to the protesters who are from 10 communities, herdsmen often invade and destroy their farmlands.
They also alleged that the suspected herdsmen have been forcibly evicting them from their ancestral homes and killing their loved ones.
Some of the protesters were from Odiguetue, Ofintebe, Igolo, Okokuo, Abumwenre I and Abumwenre II, Obarenren, Uhiere, Uyimo I and Uyimo II.
A community leader, Osagie Obayuwana, said they were worried about the looming crisis brewing in the various communities and orchestrated by armed herdsmen.
“We are zeroing in on Ovia North-East communities; about ten communities have been under siege for some time now.
“It is one of the reasons the price of food is rising beyond the reach of even those in the middle class.
“Our people have gone to various relevant government offices to complain, but there has not been any response.
“We don’t want the Benue and Plateau experience where armed herdsmen drive people away from their communities, change the names of the communities and start to occupy the houses to be replicated in Edo,’’ he said.
A representative of the Edo State CSOs, Osazee Edigin, decried the level of insecurity in Edo communities and noted that it had gone from bad to worse.
“We have seen the high level of insecurity in the state, and we want the state government and law enforcement agencies to rescue the people.
“The government should step in. With no peace in the land, life will not flourish, and the economy will go down,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, James Chu, who represented the police commissioner, Abutu Yaro, appealed to the protesters and assured them that the police were making efforts to address the problem.
“There are critical strategies that are in place to ensure that the excesses of these herdsmen disturbing our villages are monitored and equally checked and stopped.
“I assure you that the police are not resting on this issue. We shall work hands-in-gloves with the communities to ensure the essence of this gathering,’’ Chu said.
