There has been tension in Agbonchia community in the Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State after Fulani herdsmen invaded the area, destroying farmlands and assaulting the residents.
SaharaReporters learnt that the invasion started on Monday with residents deserting the area gradually due to the fear of the killer herdsmen, who reportedly also raped some women in the community.
Some of the residents told SaharaReporters that a massive peaceful protest is being carried out today, Friday, to force the attention of the state and federal government to the community which is presently under herdsmen’s siege.
“Right now, farms in Agbonchia have been taken over by Fulani herdsmen. Our women are crying in the farms. To return home is almost impossible. Everyone is angry. We are protesting. This is not a fable. I am there now witnessing this assault.
“All the Agbonchia men and women both young and old have decided not to go to work on Friday. We are marching in our numbers to the Eleme Local Government Area headquarters to protest and ask the Fulani herdsmen to leave our land. We started marching since 8am,” a resident explained.
“This incident started since Monday this week. That was when they invaded Agbonchia. They invaded our entire farms and raped our women. They put their cows in our cassava farms to eat and they cut one of the okada riders (commercial motorcyclists) with a machete and took his bike from him. There is serious confusion at the moment,” another aggrieved resident said.
