A commercial farmer in Enugu State, Ekene Uzodimma has raised the alarm over escalating violence allegedly perpetrated by armed Fulani herdsmen, calling on the government and security agencies to act decisively before the situation spirals further out of control.
The farmer in an interview with DAILY GAZETTE detailed a series of violent encounters and devastating losses suffered over the years on his farmland.
Uzodimma said repeated invasions, arson, and physical assaults that have left him and many others in the region reeling from trauma and financial ruin.
“I have lost everything more than once. Part of my 30-hectare rice farm was burnt down after harvest. My 4-hectare corn field was set ablaze. My rice fields have been grazed upon multiple times by herdsmen,” he said.
“Last year, I was physically attacked on my farm, and some of my workers sustained machete and stabbing injuries. We even arrested one of the attackers and handed him to the police, but nothing was done. No investigation. No accountability.”
Uzodinma’s plea comes on the heels of recent attacks in Benue State that left scores dead and thousands displaced.
“This is no longer about farmer-herder clashes. This is terrorism. And the silence from authorities is deafening,” he said.
“If farmers continue to be hunted and slaughtered, Nigeria will face a food security disaster of unimaginable proportions.”
The farmer outlined a series of urgent demands aimed at curbing the violence and restoring stability to rural communities. These include:
– Immediate deployment of armed security forces to high-risk farming areas in states like Enugu and Benue.
– Creation of a special investigative panel with prosecutorial powers to identify and prosecute attackers and their sponsors.
– Compensation and rehabilitation for victims and affected farming communities.
– Legal classification of the attacks as acts of terrorism, with corresponding penalties.
– Strict enforcement of anti-open grazing laws and stronger land protection policies.
Ekene Uzodinma appealed to President Bola Tinubu, the National Assembly, and state governors to move beyond rhetoric and take meaningful action.
“We cannot continue to feed a nation while being butchered on our own land. If the government won’t protect us, who will? Enough is enough.”
