Delta Boils: Women Storm Streets as Herdsmen’s Cows Ravage Farmlands

According to IReporter Online, a group of aggrieved women from Delta State staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday in response to the widespread destruction of their farmlands by suspected Fulani herdsmen. The women, drawn from various communities in Isoko North Local Government Area, took to the streets of Ozoro, the LGA’s administrative capital, to demand urgent government intervention.

Chanting slogans and brandishing placards, the demonstrators marched through major roads before converging at the Isoko North council secretariat to present their grievances. Their messages, boldly inscribed on signs, included: “We Don’t Want Herdsmen And Their Cows In Our Land Again,” “Your Cows Are Destroying Our Crops,” “Fulani Herdsmen Have Destroyed Our Means Of Livelihood,” and “Our Lives Are In Danger.”

The women decried the relentless destruction of cassava, yams, and other crops, alleging that the herders’ cattle not only feed on the produce but also uproot entire plants. The protesters lamented that the damage has endangered their only source of livelihood, stating that proceeds from farming are critical to supporting their families and funding their children’s education.

While addressing the women, Chairman of Isoko North LGA, Hon. Godwin Ogorugba, acknowledged the growing tension between farmers and herdsmen in the area. He noted that the Fulani herders have continued to flout the state’s anti-open grazing laws, despite repeated warnings.

He assured the protesters that their concerns were valid and that action would be taken promptly. “If food security collapses, none of us will be able to function — not even in our homes or offices,” Ogorugba said. He emphasized that the right to farm freely and return home safely must be preserved at all costs.

The chairman also disclosed that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had recently summoned all local government chairmen to Asaba and issued a directive to prioritize the protection of lives, properties, and farmlands across the state.

“The destruction of farms must stop,” Ogorugba said firmly. “We are taking this seriously, and I want to send a clear message to the Fulani herdsmen — your cattle cannot continue to trample on the livelihood of our people.”