Bayelsa women protest alleged attacks by herdsmen, block major road
Women from Yenizue-Gene and Okutukutu communities in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State took to the streets yesterday, blocking the Melford Okilo Road to protest against alleged attacks by herdsmen.
The demonstrators, expressing frustration over reported cases of rape, harassment, and destruction of their farmlands, disrupted traffic for hours.
They set up canopies and displayed cassava tubers and crops they claimed were ruined by cattle.
With the road obstructed, motorists were forced to find alternative routes.
Despite police attempts to persuade them to clear the road, the protesters insisted that the state’s anti-open grazing law be fully enforced and those responsible be held accountable.
It was gathered that a recent incident involved an elderly woman allegedly assaulted on her farm. Outraged by such occurrences, the women gathered as early as 6 a.m. to voice their grievances.
Holding placards with messages like “They are raping our women, government help us,” and “Remove cows from our farms,” they called for immediate action from the authorities.
One of the protesters, Madam Gift, a mother of three, lamented their ordeal, saying, “Many of us have stopped going to our farms due to constant attacks and destruction by herdsmen.”
Bonus Wombu, a retired farmer and provost marshal of Oguan, criticized the government’s failure to act, stating, “Farming is my only source of livelihood, but it has been destroyed.
The anti-open grazing law was passed in 2021, yet it remains ineffective. Recently, a woman was assaulted on her farm in Amarata. We cannot sit idly by while outsiders take over our land.”
At the time of this report, Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Alonyenu Idu, was meeting with the protesters in an attempt to address their concerns.
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