– A lawmaker in Delta state house of assembly has condemned the incessant killing, kidnapping and assault on his constituents by gun wielding Fulani herdsmen
– He is particularly disturbed because the federal government is unperturbed over the development
– He also said the security agencies are powerless as it seems the herdsmen have more sophisticated weapons
A law maker in the Delta state house of assembly, on Monday, said he is battling to hold back tears following the killings, kidnapping and assaulting of farmers by gun-wielding Fulani herdsmen in Abraka, the university town of Delta state.
The law maker, Evance Ochuko Iwurie, representing Ethiope east in the state house of assembly, said his heart is bleeding as he sees his kinsmen and parents being killed by Fulani herdsmen who have taken over the area from the ancestral owners of the farmlands.
Following the killings by the herdsmen, Iwurie has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and heads of security agencies to come to the rescue of his constituents over the killings, kidnapping and destruction of farmlands by the herdsmen in Abraka, Eku and Igun communities in the local government area.
Hon. Evance Iwurie, in T-shirt and other members of Abraka community during the media briefing at the palace of the Ovie of Abraka
Ivwurie, who made the call during a press conference at the Palace of Ovie of Abraka Kingdom, HRM Akpomeyoma Majoroh, Ojeta II, at Abraka, felt disappointed over the action, even as he condemned the cold hands with which the security agencies are handling the activities of the marauding Fulani herdsmen.
Hon. Ivwurie said: “It is with sadness that I call on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the unwarranted and provocative killings of our kinsmen by AK47- armed Fulani herdsmen.
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“The people of Ethiope east have kept their records, documented and have regularly in the past dutifully reported tens of incidence of killings, kidnapping and destruction of farmlands by these invading Fulani herdsmen to the federal government.
“W have also reported to the Nigeria police and other security agencies, yet no single person has been prosecuted and no action has been taken to investigate any of the killings and to save the lives of my constituents.
“We have very serious business in our hands; this matter must be in the front burner and we call on the federal government of Nigeria to come to our aid.
“These invasions by the Fulani herdsmen cannot push us out of our God given and sacred land. Our right is our right and we are ready to do everything possible to protect the rights of our constituents,” Ivwurie assured.
ZENITHBLOG.com can report that the lawmaker faulted the claims by the Delta state police public relations officer (PPRO), Mr. Andrew Aniamaka, that Abraka is temporarily inhabited by a minimal number of herdsmen and that the herdsmen are living peacefully with the Abraka communities, describing it as a fat lie.
Hon. Ivwurie asked: “Does it mean that those who invade our farmlands, destroy our crops and kill our people are ghosts?
“Our farmers are dead scare to venture into their farmlands which is occupied by over ten thousand cows and over two thousand Fulani herdsmen with sophisticated weapons, our farmers and people are afraid to carry out farming activities which has resulted in shortage of farm produce and increase in the prices of farm produce.
“The police command and DSS have neither visited the areas to see things for themselves nor investigated any of the gruesome killings, maiming and kidnapping cases reported by my constituents.
“This is the sad story of Ethiope east people today. The most painful thing is to live a life that you don’t want to live.
“As I speak, my heart is bleeding; I am shedding tears struggling to hold back. I saw this morning many victims’ families and children whose fathers and mothers have been killed by the herdsmen, children without fathers and mothers, wives without husbands and husbands without wives, children whose parent went to their farm and never returned as a result of killings by these Fulani herdsmen in their own ancestral and sacred land.“
One of the community members expressing his views at the media briefing conference
Ivwurie stated that the media as the strongest force in the society has the duty to reveal the killings and developments in Ethiope east and the conspiracy of silence by the federal government and the Nigerian security to the whole world.
Iwurie said: “I challenge the Nigeria press to expose and inform the world about the happenings, killings, kidnappings and attacks as well as the conspiracy of silence by the President and the Nigeria security agencies in my constituency.”
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According to him: “To our surprise the police, SSS and other security agencies are saying that they are scared of their lives unless there are hundreds of mobile police men and soldiers they cannot go into Abraka, Eku and Igun because of the type of equipment, guns and sophisticated weapons that the Fulani herdsmen in their number are parading in our farm land which they have turned to another Sambisa forest.”
Iwurie, who said the people of Delta should stop blaming the state government for not taking any action over the matter, said state governors have no power over the police and the Nigerian army, hence they control their actions.
“Let me make it abundantly clear that the governors of the southern and middle belt states of Nigeria are extremely limited over this issue, they can hardly do anything to stop this federal government orchestrated annihilation.
“Governor Fayose can only shout and other governors may not shout because shouting does not stop this man made problem.
“The truth is that the state governors have no control over the police, army, DSS, Navy or Air force. So stop blaming the governors, this problem was never there when Presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan were in charge, it only started and intensified during the regime of our cattle rearing president.
“We all have come to identify the symptoms and the solution is so obvious to the extent that we must stop begging the issues. Our president must have a change of heart towards this issue at least for the sake of my constituents,” Iwurie said.
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