Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Some women from Ugwuleshi autonomous community, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State have protested the destruction of their farmlands, rape and killing of their natives by suspected herdsmen.
The protesters alleged that their crops worth millions of naira have been destroyed by the herders.
According to them, crops such as cassava, rice and yam were vandalised and destroyed within the last one year.
They also alleged that one Ngozika Okolie and her daughter Ukamaka escaped death by the whiskers after they were attacked with machetes by herdsmen in their cassava farm sometime in April 2025.
The protesters demanded the release of the President General of the town union, Mr Aron Chidi, and the Chief Security Officer (COS), Mr Kingsley Ilo, both of who were arrested by the Police over the death of a herder near the community’s border with Ebonyi and Abia States.
The protesting women, who carried placards and green leaves, had told their traditional ruler, Igwe Godwin Nwobi, at his palace that they were dying of hunger as they could no longer go to their farms to plant or harvest their crops due to activities of rampaging herdsmen.
They appealed to the Federal and State governments to come to their rescue as they had no other means of livelihood than farming.
Speaking on behalf of the women, Mrs Felicia Okompi, said that they had lost millions of naira worth of crops in their farmlands due to the activities of the herdsmen.
Okompi added that life was becoming challenging to the natives, who rely on their farms for upkeep of their families.
“I don’t know how to discuss this. Cattle headers have pursued us from our farm settlements where we planted rice, cocoyam, and cassava.
“They destroyed our farms in the name of grazing; now our people are hungry; we are dying of hunger.
“We rely on our farm produce to train our children in school hence we are pleading with the government of Enugu State to come to our aid,” she said.
She further alleged that the duo of Onyeka Chukwu and Chidozie Friday were murdered in their farms in 2023 and their bodies severed and bagged, adding that Victor Okafor, escaped with machete cuts on his forehead and a severed finger during an attack on his farmland.
Ngozika Okolie and Victor Okafor, who showed deep cuts they received from the attacks, stated that they were saved by providence.
The traditional ruler of the autonomous community, Igwe Nwobi, who lamented the spate of disturbances by the herdsmen in the area, said he was almost forced to leave the community as his subjects could neither enjoy peace nor sleep with their two eyes closed.
He said: “I am calling on the Inspector General of Police to come and help us.
“You can see the number of women who besieged my residence this morning.
“We cannot sleep with our two eyes closed. We are confused. There was a time I tried to leave this community but how can you leave your father’s house and run away?
“We keep begging them and calling on those who can talk to them to make these people leave our community.
“Even recently, they cut somebody’s hand and we keep telling them to please leave our community. Our business is farming. We have no other business. We don’t know what to do. We are at the cross roads.
“Now two of our men are detained at Enugu for something we know nothing about.
“My appeal is to let the State and the Federal governments come and rescue us.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Awgu Local Government Area, Uche Okolo, assured that his administration was doing all in its power to ensure peace and provide security in the area.
Speaking through his media aide, Tochukwu Chukwu, he said that aside from the various peace meetings that had been held, the hospital bills of all those attacked recently were fully paid.
He also tasked residents to continue their activities in accordance with law and order.
