Delta Community Leaders, Stakeholders worry about Herdsmen incursion
VANGUARD NEWS
Community leaders and other stakeholders across the three senatorial districts of Delta State have raised the alarm over the influx of herdsmen into the state, saying it was a huge threat to the security of the state.
The citizens expressed concern at separate Senatorial Town Hall meetings organized by the Delta State Policy Advocacy Committee (D-PAC), the state’s diffusion arm of Niger Delta Dialogue, NDD.
They also accused Federal, State Governments and elected representatives of causing anxiety in the state by their failure to provide employment for youths, now susceptible to hunger and making a case for the deprived population.
Special Adviser on Conflict Resolution and Peace Building to Delta State Governor, Chief Edwin Uzor, who is chairman of D-PAC led his secretary, Pastor Edewor Egedegbe and other members to the engaging sessions where
they presented a report on “Insecurity in Delta State” written by two university dons for NDD.
Former President-General of Edjophe community, Chief Emmanuel Akpoguma, among others identified the influx of herdsmen into the state as a huge threat to security, noting that poor implementation of government’s policies and poor parenting of children create insecurity.
President-general of Udu Kingdom, Chief Godwin Notoma, who corroborated his claim, expressed concern about the threat posed by herdsmen who often attack unsuspecting citizens in the state. Notoma urged Deltans to pray for God’s intervention in the prevailing worrisome situation in the state and country at large.
The researchers in the report recommended: “The state government should resuscitate the Delta State anti-grazing Bill and swiftly signed into law to forestall the recurring menace of criminal herdsmen on the helpless farmers in Delta state.” “In dealing with Fulani herdsmen, citizens should apply utmost caution to avert their brutality,” they also recommended.