Over 100 women from the Ekakpamre village in Delta State’s Ughelli South local government area have spoken out about being raped and constantly attacked by people they think are herders.
They said that security forces were helping the herders attack them, and they asked the federal and state governments to save them.
The protesters, who were mostly older women, held up fresh leaves and signs that said things like “We don’t want cows in our bush; stop grazing on our land” and “We are being raped and chased from our farms.”
Mrs. Loveth Ekakpamre, the head of the community, said, “Herdsmen have been bothering us and forcing us off our farms for more than three years.”
“Just last week, five women were raped on their farms, and now we can’t plant or harvest cassava there because we can’t get to our farms.”
“The herdsmen will take our cassava and other farm products to feed their cattle. Our husbands are not going to the bush, so we are asking the state and federal governments to free us from the herdsmen in the community.”
Mama Blacky Raymond, who is 80 years old and hurt her knee when herders attacked, is upset that she can’t go back to her farm because she was driven away.
Edafe Kpohraror, who is the president general of the community, said that the women are protesting because herders keep chasing them off their farms.
“One imam in the town is trying to scare us by using the police and army against us. As a result, many people have left the town to avoid being arrested.”
Edafe begged the state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and the president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to stop the herdsmen from attacking their town.