Delta Farmers Live in Fear Amid Rising Herdsmen Attacks

The tranquility of the Emu-Ebendo community in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State has been shattered by a series of alarming attacks attributed to armed herdsmen. For the residents, agriculture is not merely a source of income; it is the very essence of their existence and the backbone of their local economy. However, what was once a routine activity of tending to their farmlands has now transformed into a perilous venture, laden with fear and anxiety.

Recent reports indicate that farmers are increasingly encountering armed men in the bush, leading to heightened tensions within the community. The latest incident involved a farmer who narrowly escaped an assault while traveling to his farm on a cargo tricycle, a pivotal vehicle for transporting cassava. According to Mr. Fidelis Ikosa, the chairman of the Emu-Ebendo Vigilante team, the farmer was pursued by a group of herdsmen, who subsequently set his tricycle ablaze.

“He went to the bush to convey cassava. On his way to the farm, he saw a group of herdsmen coming out of the bush and they started pursuing the two men in the Keke (Motorcycle cargo trailer),” Ikosa recounted. “When we got there, we saw the keke burning.”

The community’s vigilance team has been mobilizing to respond to these threats, but the fear persists as residents question their safety while working in the fields. With the frequency of such encounters on the rise, the people of Emu-Ebendo are calling for increased security measures to protect their livelihoods and restore peace in their agricultural endeavors.

As the situation unfolds, it is evident that the implications of these attacks extend beyond individual farmers to the larger agricultural framework of the region, raising concerns about food security and economic stability in Delta State.