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By Amos Chukwuekwu

Tension has escalated in Igbodo Kingdom, Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State, as residents took to the streets in a mass protest demanding the immediate removal of herdsmen from their communities.

For the people of Anikpeku, Idumuobior, Idumuozei, Anieyime, Ilabor, and Ndobu, the last eight years have been marked by fear, loss, and devastation. On Wednesday, they trooped out in large numbers, marching through streets and the community market square with placards that captured their anguish: “Fulani Herdsmen Must Go,” “Save Our Farms,” “Our Farmlands Are in Trouble,” “We Are Suffering in Igbodo Land,” and “No Grazing on Our Farmlands.”

The protesters said they could no longer watch silently as farmlands—the backbone of the local economy—were destroyed by grazing cattle while lives and livelihoods continued to come under threat.

“We Live in Fear Every Day”

Speaking during the protest, a community spokesman, Mr. Chinedu Augustine, said the activities of herdsmen had crippled farming, the kingdom’s main source of survival.

According to him, many residents now sleep with one eye open, fearing attacks from armed herdsmen who have allegedly taken over farmlands and invaded homes.

“For eight years, our people have suffered. These hoodlums have taken over our farmlands. Farmers are afraid to go to their farms for fear of being kidnapped, killed, or raped,” Augustine lamented.

“These hoodlums now enter people’s homes and abduct them without fear. We are calling on the government to rescue our people from these evil doers.”

He warned that if urgent action is not taken, Igbodo Kingdom may suffer severe food shortages as farmlands continue to be abandoned.

Kidnappings, Rape, Murder—‘We Have Endured Enough’

Another resident, Mr. Daniel Nnabuife, described the herdsmen’s presence as a direct and escalating threat to peace and security.

“We are suffering in Igbodo. Our farmers are being kidnapped and forced to pay ransoms. Some are raped, others murdered. These acts of wickedness are unacceptable. We have endured enough,” he said.

“We call on the three tiers of government to come to our aid before this situation spirals further out of control.”

Several other protesters, including Mrs. Ogordinanwa, Mr. Victor Okwudili, and Mrs. Onyeisi Enemokwu, expressed fears of going to their farms. What began as isolated cases of destroyed crops, they said, had now become a kingdom-wide security crisis.

Traditional Institution Raises Alarm

The Iyase of Igbodo Kingdom, Chief Ngozi Dichika, condemned the relentless invasion of farmlands by cattle belonging to herdsmen. He described the situation as heartbreaking for a kingdom whose entire economy rests on agriculture.

“We do not want herdsmen in our land. Our people cultivate these crops with sweat and tears, only for cattle to destroy everything overnight,” the chief said.

“We appeal to the federal, state, and local governments: intervene now. Prevent the hunger and loss of lives that will follow if this continues.”

A Community on the Brink

For Igbodo, the message is clear: the people want herdsmen out of their land before the situation deteriorates further. Their fears of famine, displacement, and rising violence cast a dark cloud over the once-thriving agrarian kingdom.

As the protests continue, attention now turns to the government authorities the people have cried out to—will they act swiftly to restore security and confidence in Igbodo?