A Social Cultural Organization, Benin National Congress yesterday raised the alarm over what it described as the unusual large concentration of Fulani Herdsmen in some parts of Local Government Area in Edo South.
The Group in a statement signed by it President, Comrade Edokpolo Aiyamenkwen said the cladestine activities of the marauding herdsmen is capable of jeopardizing the peace of the state and called on Godwin Obaseki rise to the looming security threat.
“We have received oral complaints, and consequent upon same, we caused our relevant committee to investigate allegations of mass camping of Fulani youths in our rural communities; our findings portrayed a picture of desperate ‘settlers’ who have been recruited for unclear devious objectives.
“It is no news in Nigeria that a bulk of kidnappings are perpetrated by these stern looking Fulanis, and their massive assembly around our farming and fishing communities have forced our young women , old women and old men out of our villages to flee, judging by the rising cases of rape, brutality and the untouchable toga they carry on based on the seeming protection they get from law enforcement agencies.
“Mr. Governor, you will appreciate that most visitors and settlers in Benin Kingdom have been paying our hospitality with hates and other stereotypical tendencies of ungratefulness, and the need to seek your intervention urgently cannot be overemphasized as our youths are at the verge of seeking self help with unpleasant repercussions.
“The Benin National Congress and our esteemed people will not take responsibility for self defense if the rapacious tendencies of these herdsmen are not effectively checkmated urgently. Is it Siluko, Egor, or Ehor, Abudu, or Ologbo, the rights to freedom of movement and agriculture of our people are daily trampled upon as they are either kidnapped or raped or assaulted by these herdsmen.
“As a group committed to the promotion, protection and projection of the core values of hospitality, culture and industry, it has become incumbent on us to sound it to your knowledge that the elasticity of ‘suffering and smiling’ condition of our people is fast degenerating into self defense if adequate security is not provided.