Why The People Of Ogbeole Ogume Should Go About Their Businesses Without Fear

The people of Ogbeole Ogume in Ndokwa West Local Government Area, Delta State, can go to their farmers without fear of attack by unknown strangers.

The mediator, Comr. Mathew Ujene Ossai gave the assurance recently, alleging that the Ogbeole community bush is not infiltrated by unknown gunmen.

This development is coming in the wake of speculations that gunmen suspected to be Fulanis are occupying the community bush.

In a meeting held on June 17, 2022, with the Mediator and Member representing Delta North on the State Livestock Committee, Mr. Mathew Ujene Ossai, the Onotu Uku in Council, Chief John Ekpaetor, and other respective authorities in the community, the herders in Ogbeole were mandated to fish out the unknown people hiding in the bush.

The purpose of the meeting was to address the plight of the community and strengthen the relationship between the herders and the community.

Earlier, the people of the community had raised an alarm, alleging that there was a crowd of armed Fulanis men hiding in Ogbeole Ogume bush, a development that had prevented them from going to their farms for some days.

According to community sources, the last gang of Fulanis numbering about 10 was dropped two days ago in the desert around 8 p.m after a truck had brought so many others who had already taken comfort in the bush.

The community directed the herders to fish out the unidentified Fulanis heavily armed with AK-47 rifles and other weapons to make the bush safe for all of them.

It was gathered that the Ogbeole Ogume people have accommodated the Cattle rearers for the past many years without financial benefit.

The Herders, it was said destroyed the host community’s crops and farm roads without compensation.

Abdulkadir Lamu who represented Alhaji Mudi Muhammad, the owner of the cows in Ogbeole Ogume at the meeting confirmed that Herders have not paid a dire to the host community.

Apologizing for the damages they have caused the community, Lamu said he would work with them to smoke out the unknown Fulanis men, and promised to turn a new leaf.

The Mediator, however, told the Fulanis to heed the MoU signed at Abuja, as failure to do so would amount to legal actions.

Present at the meeting were the Onotu Uku, Chief John Ekpaetor, Community Development Committee (CDC) chairman, Chief Godwin Iwenya, Community Spokesmen, Chief Edwin Oshile, Vigilantes, and Youths.

Others were DSS personnel, NSCDC personnel, and three herders – Bello Baba, Sulaiman Adamu, and Abdulkadir Lamu.

A few weeks after the meeting, the Mediator told Africa Investigative Magazine that the herders had allegedly searched the bush without seeing traces of infiltrators.

He, however, asked the people of the community to return to various businesses without fear.

The effort to speak with the community sources for more details was abortive.

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