The women protesters

By Jethro Ibileke/Benin

Hundreds of women have allegedly took to the streets of Uromi, the administrative headquarters of Esan north-east local government area of Edo state, to protest alleged incessant raping and kidnapping of their people by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

The protesting women who came from the main Uromi town and neighboring villages, assembled in the city centre.

They later formed smaller groups and blocked major roads in the town, chanting solidarity songs, demanding that Fulani herdsmen must leave their communities.

They alleged that can not longer go to their farms for fear of being kidnapped or raped by the herdsmen.

They further alleged that the hoodlums have virtually taken over their farmlands and have always destroyed their farm produce.

A source in the community who spoke to our correspondent in Benin City on condition of anonymity, said although the protest was peaceful, it however disrupted the free flow of traffic in the town.

As at the time of filing this report, no official statement has been released by the protesters, nor was it possible to get a reaction from police authorities.