From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
There is anger in Patani Local Government, Delta State following the killing and abduction of some people by suspected herdsmen.
The suspected herdsmen were said to have invaded Toru- Angiama community, and killed Mr Dennis Egbejule, his son and one other person who were working on the farm, while an unspecified number of farmers were abducted.
Sources in the community, said the late Egbejule,and others killed were attacked unprovoked on their farmland.
“Mr Egbejule and, his son were working on the farm when the herdsmen came into their farm and started harvesting their crops for their cattle. He challenged them to stop and he was attacked and killed. His son trying to escape, and another man were also killed,”he said.
Meanwhile, a former President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Mr. Chris Ekiyor, who is from Patani, has however, appealed for calm,calling on the government, and the security agencies to fish out the killers.
He urged the government to address the issue of insecurity in the area to forestall crisis, because Ijaws would not condone the continued attack on thepeople.
“As former president of the Ijaw Youth Council, I have the capacity to mobilise Ijaw Youth for retaliation. However, I have allowed reasons to prevail because I believe the Delta state government, the Patani Local Government Chairman, and the various security agencies will find the killers.
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“The indigenes of the local government area, particularly parents and locals, have continued to reach me to do something about the level of security risk the influx of herders are posing to farmers.
“Only recently, it took HRM , P.S Erebulu, to use his influence to intervene in anear community/herders conflict when a group of herders stormed farmlands within the waterfront in Patani town to graze.
“We must recall that we are people already hungry and angry arising from the impactof the 2022 flood that destroyed our livelihood. The government must take steps to invoke a Security Council meeting and advise the military and police to assist in protecting communities.
“The leaders, and owners of the migrating herders, must be warned that the Ijaws are not going to fold their hands and watch any one of our communities come under attack. We have shown over time that we can stand our ground against any odds. But it is best for the government to do its job as enshrined in our constitution in order to forestall crisis.
“Remember that it took my leadership, effort and initiative to bring peace in the Niger-Delta region. It will take nothing to wake up a response squad to radical engage any group of killer Herdsmen.
If peace is what we seek, the road to peace must be peaceful,” he said.