From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
A local farmer in Ugo Community in Orhionmwon Local Government Council of Edo state, Mr. Michael Eghaghe, yesterday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to come to his rescue over the damage of his farm produce by suspected herdsmen.
Mr. Eghaghe, while taking stock of the damage done to his farm said the suspected herders also killed several farmers at Ugo community and set ablaze farm produce of farmers in the area.
Narrating his ordeal to newsmen in Benin City, Eghaghe said the herders have been grazing on his farm since 2017, just as he added that the farm measuring 64 hectares was planted with cocoa, cassava, pineapple and plantain.
He added that more frustrating is the fact that the herders had used their cattle to graze all sections of the farms particularly the area where plantain, pineapple, cocoa, cassava and matured cocoa trees were grown, with some some other section of the farmland also set ablaze.
According to him, he started taking proper record of the destruction of his farm since 2018 as the herders set his plantain and cocoa plantation farms ablaze.
“They bring their cattles to graze in my cassava farm and ended up uprooting the cassava for their cattle to feed and also cut down the plantain for the cattle to also eat.
“While some of the crops were set ablaze, uprooted and cut down by the herders. Four Geepee water storage tanks, two weed spraying pump machines and the keys to the farm house were destroyed and some of my workers were also assaulted with various body injuries sustained.” he said.
While appealing for relevant stakeholders to come to his aid and the community, Eghaghe said that he had written several petitions to draw the attention of the nefarious activities of herders to the state government and relevant security agencies without any luck.