Group raises alarm over alleged herders’ movement towards Niger Delta Region

The leadership of Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) Worldwide, the umbrella body of all youth organizations in the Niger Delta region has raised the alarm over the alleged influx of herdsmen with dangerous weapons and other ammunition to the Niger Delta region.

The group said the alarm has become imperarative and urgent to alert the Federal Government especially when the region is not at war with anybody.

Comrade Ogboka Chris Umeda, President General and Comrade Dennis Millionaire, General Secretary, Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) Worldwide raised the alarm in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin.

This is even as the bereaved kinsmen of one of the seven persons killed Wednesday by herdsmen in Ovia North East on Thursday, took the dead body of their kinsman to the Edo State government house.

According to the statement, “Ordinarily, such devilish intention of the killer herdsmen could have been ignored as the ever conscious Niger Delta Youths are ever ready at any point in time to protect and defend their region legally.

“However, this release is to notify the Federal Government and governors of the various states in the region, on the clandestine movement suspected to be Fulani herdesmen to the oil rich region with dangerous weapons.

“To this end, the leadership of NDYC, rising from an extra ordinary executive meeting and after a careful review of happenings in the Niger Delta region hereby, call for formation of Niger Delta Regional Security Outfit.

“NDYC calls on governors of the region to partner with stakeholders in a bid to set up the regional security outfit as a stitch in time saves nine.

“This will further strengthen the security situation in the region as the conventional security agencies cannot do it alone.

“In the main time, the leadership of NDYC is directing all component youth bodies to be at alert and remain vigilant to ensuring that issues of suspected invaders are nipped in the bud.

“We are also warning those with devilish intentions to steer clear of the region as the youths of Niger Delta shall resist and defend with every available resources within our disposal.

Meanwhile, the bereaved kinsmen of one of the seven persons killed Wednesday by herdsmen in Ovia North East on Thursday, took the dead body of their kinsman to the Edo State government house.

Recall that suspected Fulani herdsmen on Wednesday reportedly killed seven farmers in Ovia North East local Government Area of Edo State.

It was gathered that the killings happened at Ugboke, Oshodi, Okokodo, Ariyan and Yoruba camp which are majorly farming communities in the Local Government Area.

The angry protesters moved from their communities to the government house, Benin City to protest the incessant killngs by herdsmen in Edo State, mostly at the Ovia local Government Areas.

Speaking, one of the leaders of the protesters, Michael Idahosa said the communities can no longer bear the incessant attack of killer herdsmen on the farming community, and they have decided to bring the dead body of the murdered persons to the government house, so that the governor can see their plight.

“We are here to protest the killing of herdsmen in our communities.The governor came to Ovia North East in 2017, when herdsmen killed one of our persons and promised to tackle the problem of herdsmen in our local government, but the government did not uptil now”, Idahosa declared.

Comrade Philip Shaibu, the Edo State deputy governor, while responding said, the problem of insecurity is a national problem and that is the reason the governor is in Abuja with other governors.

He pleaded with the protesters to be patient, that the government is working to stop herdsmen attack.

“The problem of insecurity is a national problem,and that is why the governor is in Abuja with other governors as I am talking to you now to find a solution. We want to assure you that the government will find a solution to the problem.” he said. (Daily Independent)