Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo state

Jethro Ibileke/Benin

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has described the incessant attack on innocent persons, especially farmers, by gun-wielding suspected Fulani herdsmen as a national security threat.
Obaseki said this Thursday at Ewu, when he visited families of two elderly women raped and murdered in their farms last week by suspected herdsmen in Ewu community, Esan Central local government area of the State.
He said the marauders were not ordinary herdsmen but suspected Boko Haram terrorists who fled from fighting in the North Eastern part of Nigeria.
He assured the people that his administration would deal with the menace within the next few weeks as he has ordered security to be beefed up in the area from the boundaries of Kogi State.
“These are not just herdsmen, they are Boko Haram terrorists but we are working hard to put an end to this.
“In a matter of weeks, we are coming out with certain measures to stop these attacks. We will rely on timely accurate information from all communities. I am going to see the Inspector General of Police on this matter.
“Don’t be scared of going to your farms. We have stepped up security in this area from Kogi State,” he said.
The Governor who promised to ensure autopsy are conducted on the corpses also visited Ehimen Abuya, one of the villagers at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, who was allegedly shot at by soldiers during a protest against the killing of the two women.
Ehimen whose leg would soon be amputated, told the Governor they were on a peaceful protest against the herdsmen attack when they were shot at by soldiers.
Obaseki promised to pay the medical bills, provide artificial lower limb and give adequate assistance to integrate him back to the society.
Spokesman for the community, Sydney Ikhajiagba, said members of the community were now living in fear and that the women were now scared of going to farms.
“When we got to the farm, we saw her naked and worms coming out of her mouth. She was dragged to the place where she was raped and killed. It was a pathetic sight. Such a thing has never happened in Ewu town,” he narrated.
It would be recalled that earlier in March this year, the traditional ruler of Ekperi, HRH Deke Yakubu Kanoba, the Ijiegbai of Ekperi, raised alarm that his subjects may not go to farm this farming season over presence of suspected runaway Boko Haram members at a forest in his locality.
The Ijiegbai of Ekperi who spoke at meeting of Eminent Persons Forum with the State Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwandu said that the men at the forest were armed with AK47 riffles.