Admin l Tuesday, July 05, 2022
OSHIMILI, Delta, Nigeria – There is tension in Oshimili Delta State as hundreds of Fulani herdsmen have forcefully taken over the farmland of Obodogba belonging to Okpanam community in Delta State.
Okpanam is a traditional community in Delta State with farming as its major occupation. Traditional Ruler of Ugoani in Okpanam, HRM Michael Ogbolu made the revelation during a meeting with Chairman of Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr. Innocent Esewezie and Fulani leaders in the community, during which the chairman of the LGA gave the Fulani herdsmen 15 days ultimatum to vacate the occupied area.
The chairman gave the order following activities of the herders, which has been blamed for kidnapping, killings, raping of women and destruction of farmland.
Consequently, the chairman gave effect to an executive order which was signed in 2020 ordering all herders and strangers residing in the forest to vacate and relocate to the towns and live with the natives.
But insisting on having their way, some of the herders took to Benin-Asaba highway to protest the development. Spokesperson of the herders, Mr. Idris Abubakar, who spoke to Vanguard Newspaper said they were legal occupants of Oshimili as they pay rents.
“The Federal Government should come to our aid so they can allow us stay as legal occupants. The government should come to our aid and halt the council chairman from passing this so-called executive order.
“Whoever is living in any place is a legal occupant of that place. We have receipts that they gave to us. We pay tenancy each year”, he said.
