MOVEMENT of vehicles to Bomadi and other coastal communities were restricted for hours as the people of Uduophori community barricaded the only access road over the amputation of a 28-years old man in Patani Local Government Area of Delta State.
It was learned that victim, Mr Freedom Akpodiete, a motorcycle rider who is a father of two is bread winner of his family and his aged mother who is a widow was attacked while conveying a passenger to Uduophori community.
Displaying, leafs, placards with inscriptions such as, ‘Fulani leave us alone, ‘Stop raping our wives, women and daughters’ ‘President Tinubu rescue us from Fulani herdsmen killings, ‘Governor Sheriff Oborevwori come and rescue us from herdsmen bondage’, the community disclosed they have been stopped from going to their farms.
Speaking to newsmen during the protest, president general of Uduophori, Mr ThankGod Ado said, “We are protesting as the result of yearly and regular presence of herdsmen in our community and forest.
“What prompted this was the recent stack on one of our brothers who was attacked and one of his hand amputated by suspected fulani herdsmen after he was dragged into the forest.
“We are not happy and we are saying ‘enough is enough’ and as peace loving, law abiding people, we not want a situation were the government would sit down to allow herdsmen to kill us.
“Our wives cannot longer go to their farms because of the incessant attack of rape and ransom payment, our planted cassava are uprooted and given to their cows.
“At time, they would come to the community to burgled petty traders stores to cart away food stuffs and when they accost our people in their farms, they would send their husbands home to go and bring money and before they would return, the women have been raped.
“We say no to these herdsmen and we are calling on the federal, State and local government to come to our rescue us from this terrible people.”
Also speaking, Pa Benjamin Obotorino 85, held that for over 15 years, we have been under the bondage of Fulani herdsmen, they would come to Uduophori with their cows to destroy our crops.
“Their cows no longer eat grass as they feed on our cassava, yams and other cash crops, we are tired of their continued killing, rapping and maiming of people.
“They rape our with our wives, women, daughter and they also raped men in the forest too and after which they will kill them, we are not happy and we are calling on the government to urgently come to our aid.’
“When they kidnapped our women ask us to pay ransom of N80,000 to 100,000 to release them and before they will set them free, they are being raped. We cannot continue like this and that is why we are calling for help.”
The women leader of the community, Mrs London Edit, in tears called for urgent assistance from the government and all other relevant authorities as they and now made strangers in their own land.
An indigene of the community Mr. Henry Emaduku said, In 2023, fulani herdsmen attacked one our brothers Oghenegarhe Asadera, was attacked and his hand amputated, and in 2024, they attacked the head teacher of school, in the community and in this 2025, they also attacked Mr Freeborn Akpodiete and amputated his hand after collecting his android phone and unspecified amount of money.
“And as I am speaking with you now, our primary school 3 in the community has been taken over by herdsmen and the school is currently shutdown before this recent attack on our brother and me being the chairman of Motorcycle/Keke rider is calling on the government to save us from herdsmen continued attack.”
