The Uduophori community in Patani Local Government Area of Delta State was brought to a standstill on Tuesday as protesters barricaded the East-West road, demanding government intervention in the face of relentless attacks by suspected killer herdsmen.
The protest was sparked by the brutal attack on a 28-year-old resident, Mr. Freedom Akpodiete, who had his hand amputated by the herdsmen.
According to eyewitnesses, Akpodiete, a commercial motorcycle rider and father of two, was attacked with a machete while conveying a passenger to the Uduophori community. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with residents expressing outrage and frustration at the government’s perceived inaction in the face of the herdsmen’s attacks.
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The protesters, who displayed leaves and placards, called on the authorities to wade in and put an end to the herdsmen’s reign of terror. They lamented the hardship they have been facing in the hands of the invading herdsmen, who have been accused of destroying crops, raping women, and maiming residents.
The President-General of Uduophori community, Mr. ThankGod Ado, expressed grave concern over the recurring attacks on residents by killer herdsmen. He noted that the community has been under siege for years, with the herdsmen’s attacks becoming more frequent and brazen.
Ado called on the federal, state, and local governments to come to the community’s rescue, saying that the residents can no longer tolerate the herdsmen’s brutality. He also appealed to the government to provide security for the community, which has been left vulnerable to the herdsmen’s attacks.
The chairman of the Motorcycle/Keke riders in the community, Mr. Henry Emaduku, recounted the numerous attacks on residents by the herdsmen, including the amputation of a resident’s hand in 2023. He called on the government to take decisive action to put an end to the herdsmen’s attacks.
The community women leader, Mrs. London Edith, lamented that the residents are now made strangers in their land, and called for urgent assistance from the government and all other relevant authorities. She noted that the women and children are bearing the brunt of the herdsmen’s attacks, and appealed for help to protect them.
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The protesters’ placards bore inscriptions such as “President Tinubu, rescue us from Fulani herdsmen killings”; “Come and rescue us from herdsmen bondage”; and “Fulani leave us alone, stop raping our wives, women and daughters”. The protest was a clear indication of the community’s frustration and desperation in the face of the herdsmen’s attacks.
As the protest continued, the community leaders reiterated their call for government intervention, saying that they can no longer tolerate the herdsmen’s brutality. They appealed to the government to take decisive action to protect the community and put an end to the herdsmen’s attacks.
