Maduako Igbokwe l Wednesday, February 17, 2021
ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – Farmers in the old Eastern region of Nigeria, under the umbrella of Eastern Farmers Association (EFA) have lamented the federal government neglect over the loses incurred as a result of the destruction of their crops and farmland by herdsmen.
EFA in petition to federal government ,is demanding financial compensation to the tune of N9 billion to offset the cost of damages they have incurred .
According to a petition signed by its Coordinator Mr Paul Achalla and the Secretary General Mrs Nneka Orji and made available to reporters in Awka Anambra state, the body said since the advent of the Fulani Herdsmen in the Eastern region, the federal government has been paying lip service to the monumental destruction of their crops and farm land. The group accused the federal government of secular interest in securing the Herdsmen and paying compensation for their cattles without recourse to what they did to their farmland.
“Our state governments pay compensations for cows killed by villagers. So far we have lost over N9 billion as a result of the activities of the Herdsmen and nobody is talking about it and even when they promise to pay a token there is no laid down parameter to actually ascertain the level of damage and it’s cost implications.
“We urge the Governor’s Forum in the Eastern Nigerian as well as the Ohaneze Ndigbo to look into our plights and make a strong statement and representation for us so that the federal government would pay us compensation of at least N9 billion which translates to N1 billion per state that made up the old Eastern region of Nigeria.
The body further contended that the manner in which the herdsmen are being protected by our governors in the zones speaks volume of how they consider their security at the detriment of ‘we the farmers’.
Very soon, the years planting season would commence and it would be frustrating if all that we have laboured for would be in vain as a result of the activities of herdsmen in our land” the group lamented.
