Farmers in Uegwere Boue community, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, have raised the alarm over the killings of people in their farms by gunmen. The farmers, who are all women from the community, in an early morning prayer session in the community townhall, accused ex-agitator, Solomon Ndigbara, of being behind the continued attacks on people in their farmlands.
CDC of Uegwere Boue community , Godspower Ipianeh, said the women were now helpless as they can no longer go to their farms over fear of being killed by gunmen loyal to the ex-agitator. Ipianeh said while the ex-agitator hailed from Yeghe community in Gokana LGA, Uegwere Boue was in Khana LGA, hence there was no reason for women to be attacked in their farmlands in Joro, Deme-or, Demekue, Guguru, Always, Wiibori, Orkuego, Yerenwiri, Labor and Gaagaa.
He said the petitions and intelligence reports have been sent to the Police, DSS, Nigerian Army and NSCDC in the state, but to no avail. “We are appealing to the Federal Government, the Rivers State Government and the Defence Headquarters to come to our side, as a matter of urgency. “Within a fortnight, seven persons have been killed in their farms, including a young man who escorted his mother to farm.
The corpse of one of the victims was recovered by operatives of the Bori Divisonal Police just yesterday. “We will march to the Government House, we will petitioned FIDA and the international community, let them know that defenceless women are being attacked and killed in their farms.” Also Speaking, the mother to the deceased young man, Mrs. I-awa Atornu-Tor, said “on the 27th of December 2020, my son and I were attacked in the farm. My son was shot dead in my own presence and it took the grace of God for me to escape.”
Another victim, Mrs Asawa Adoobe, said she was assaulted, stripped and beat to pulp after her cassava was uprooted by the hoodlums. “My son and I went to my farm in Joro and we discovered that this man and his boys have uprooted all my cassava, but as we tried to gather the remnants; his boys emerged from the bush and began chasing us. “My son was able to escape, but I couldn’t run very fast, so they met me halfway, stripped me, assaulted me and beat me till I was halfdead. For over two weeks, I was in pains.” “Since 2001 till date, this community has been under several attacks. There has been several killings by these people, even when we are not at war with any community.”
