Hundreds of indigenes of Kokori Community in the Ethiope-East Local Government Area of Delta State have mobilized to peacefully chase away suspected herdsmen from their farmlands.
The locals allege that the herdsmen have been causing massive destruction to their agricultural produce, which they rely on to feed their families and pay school fees.
The indigenes, who marched in solidarity, protested peacefully, demanding the herdsmen leave their lands.
According to Albert Akpomudjere, the Spokesman for the Kokori Council of Chiefs, the community had previously attempted to resolve the matter through peaceful dialogue, but their efforts were ignored by the herdsmen.
He narrated, “It is the income from the farm produce we are using to feed our children and pay their school fees and others.
“We cannot fold our hands and allow these herdsmen destroy our farm produce and before now we have called them for a peaceful meeting several times for them to leave our land with due process yet they refused to listen to us.
“So, we have made up our mind today to chase them out of our farmlands and we are not going to use any act of violence. We will go to our farm in groups to tell them that they should leave our farmland not by force but by peaceful means.
“Before we even came up with this method we informed government authority including the security agencies on what we are to do for the interest and safety of our farm produce,” he added.
Locals have expressed support for the approach, seeing it as the best way to protect their agricultural investments.
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