From Obinna Odogwu, Ekwulobia
The people of Ugbene, Ugbenu, and Achalla communities in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, who are predominantly famers, have taken stock of their harvest last year and early this year, concluding that the period brought them only baskets of sorrow.
From December 23, 2016 to January 14, 2017, Fulani herdsmen had frequently visited them with strange messages, antagonising them in their own land. Their rice farms, tools and other farm facilities estimated at about N50 million were allegedly destroyed by the Fulani herdsmen. From Ugbene to Ugbenu, down to Achalla, there were pathetic stories.
Indeed, on December 25, herders were reportedly said to have came in groups with more than 2,000 cows and invaded rice farms at Ugbenu community and grazed on them. The rice plants already due for harvest were said to have been urinated and defecated upon by them.
The residents told Daily Sun that they had sat back at home enjoying the Christmas celebration without the premonition of the destruction going on in their farms. Mr. Longinus Eke, lamented:
“The news filtered in that our rice farms have been invaded by the Fulani herdsmen with their cattle. One of the villagers had gone to the farm that day and rushed back with this sad news. He said that a battalion of cattle were grazing on our massive rice farms.”
He noted that about 89 per cent of the rice farmers in the community were affected, pointing out that some of the already harvested rice in bags packed in the farms were equally broken by the Fulani herdsmen:
“The destruction was massive. I don’t even know where to start telling this sad story. They destroyed about five chains of rice fields belonging to me. There are others who have larger farmlands. But when you add them up, it could be more than 10 hectares.
“I obtained a loan of N200,000 from the Oraukwu Microfinance Bank in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State for the cultivation of the rice. And it will be due for repayment in March 2017. But that N200,000 was in addition to my personal money. In the whole, I spent about N500,000 for its cultivation.”
Another farmer, Mr. Aloysius Onwuka, said he lost more than 30 chains to the herdsmen and their herds of cattle: “Fulani herdsmen led their cattle into my rice farm and destroyed more than 30 chains. Before we could arrive to the scene of the destruction, they had left. I think they moved into Achalla community.
“Those wicked people utterly destroyed my farm. It was on Christmas Day and everybody was at home celebrating.” He disclosed that he obtained a loan from Ukpo Microfinance Bank to embark on the farming, lamenting that it would be difficult for him to pay back as he does not have any other source of income aside rice farming.
In Ugbene community, the story was the same. In less than one year after the Fulani herdsmen set their rice farm ablaze on January 2, 2016, they struck again on December 23, the same year. This time, they grazed on the yet-to-be harvested rice plants.
The residents said the Fulani herdsmen who were well armed with AK47 rifles, cutlasses, and other dangerous weapons had threatened to invade the community if they dared to retaliate. One of the victims, Mr. Joseph Urebe, said: “They don’t graze on the grasses, they move into the cultivated portions. When you caution them to leave they would threaten to kill you.
“The most annoying thing is that those useless people would tell you that you would have to share your rice with their cattle, it is crazy. I don’t know what or who gives them that guts. Sometimes, they would threaten to hack you to death if you dare complain.
“In some cases I have had to sound the gong or pan to scare them away. Can you just imagine that? They burnt my rice farm in January 2016 and on December 23, same year, they repeated it. I obtained loan but I couldn’t pay back as a result.
“I told the herder to lead them away from my farm but he refused. He replied that my rice was too much and as such his cattle must eat some portion of it.” He quoted the Fulani herdsmen as telling him: “Rice plenty, make I chop small.”
Another victim who is the secretary of Umualor village, Ugbene, Mr. Emmanuel Ifesinachi: “I couldn’t hold back tears. And these Fulani herdsmen readily tell you that their cows have to eat small. Imagine! More than 1,000 cows trouped into my farm.
“We couldn’t fight them because they were well armed. I called their leader in the South-East, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, who told me that he would contact them on the telephone, but he never did.”
In Achalla, the headquarters of Awka North Local Government, the Fulani herdsmen did not only graze their cattle on the rice, but also allegedly set it on fire. The fire destroyed about 642 bags of already harvested rice, farm buildings and other facilities just as a nearby cassava farm was equally affected by the ravaging fire.
It was gathered that the owner had harvested the rice from his farm and was said to be making arrangements to convey them to the processing mill before the incident occurred. According to the farmers, they were alerted by neighbours that their rice farm covering several hectares was on fire.
One of them and the owner of the 642 harvested bags of rice, Charles Okadigbo, said on getting to the farmland, the raging fire had burnt the farm buildings and other facilities to ashes. He alleged that the Fulani herdsmen who lit the fire while trying to make way for fresh grasses to grow for the feeding of their cattle had disappeared to other neighbouring communities without making any effort to put it out:
“I am calling on the government to help me financially to enable me settle the huge debt I had incurred in the course of embarking on the farming. Retaliation is not the best option.”
An eyewitness, Mr. Emeka Iliemenam, regretted that the disaster was coming at a time when the state government was encouraging cultivation of local rice for consumption, saying that “it was a terrible sight.”
When contacted, the Chairman of Miyetti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in the South East, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki agreed that his people damaged some parts of the farms, especially in Ugbenu: “Their case is before the Cattle Menace Committee. We have gone for inspection at Achalla community. We went to Ugbenu and we are yet to go to Ugbene. But the one that was at fault is Achalla because I did not see signs indicating that Fulani herdsmen came around.
“In Ugbenu community, the cows trampled on some portions of the rice farm. But the damage they did was not as big as the farmers claimed. What was written in the petition was not true because I did not see the footsteps of cows there. What I saw was that fire burnt the rice farm. Fire can be ignited by anybody.”
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sam Okaula, absolved the herdsmen of any wrongdoing: “That is not true. We have not received such information. When we discover such damages, we estimate the cost of the damage and get those Fulani men involved to pay compensation to the farmers and we amicably resolve. And that has been the trend.”
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