From Tony Osauzo, Benin
TRADITIONAL rulers in six local government areas that make up Edo North Senatorial District yesterday urged the Federal Government to deploy soldiers as back up in areas prone to attacks in the senatorial district.
The traditional rulers observed that the police possess inferior weapons to the herdsmen, who attack people in the area unchallenged.
Briefing newsmen in Auchi, shortly after their meeting yesterday, the Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Aliru Momoh, Ikelegbe III, said their women have been raped by the herdsmen, lamenting that the vigilance groups that have, in the past, dared the criminally minded herdsmen have been demoralised due to irregular payment of their stipends by government.
“We have a situation of the menace of Fulani herdsmen that have been operating and disturbing our farmers all over this place, it is very disturbing.
“Before now, herdsmen have always been coming, they have their routes they pass to the south and other parts over the years. But now, there have been issues of destroyed farmlands or people being taken as hostages, kidnappers all over the place, which is something that we want government to do something about.”