As insecurity heightens, Delta communities begin to fight back

…Identified cattle traders, leasers of farmlands for grazing, told to quit business in Oghara

…We can no longer fold our hands but take our destinies in our hands’

Communities in Delta State are beginning to take what they described as practical steps to make their communities and kingdoms safe and peaceful for their people.

Oghara Kingdom in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State is among the communities, as the people are out to take the bull by the horns, resolving to enforce a ban on open grazing across the kingdom.

To this end, the kingdom has asked identified indigenes who are cattle traders and leasers of farmlands for grazing to quit their businesses or be held responsible for any insecurity in the area. Henceforth, they would be held liable and duly made to face the full wrath of the law, declared Oghara people.

Kidnapping, armed robbery and killings are seen to be the order of the day in the kingdom. “The security situation in Oghara has got out of hand with several reported documented cases of kidnapping, ransom payment and, just recently, the killing of one of our able-bodied sons. We can no longer fold our arms but to take our destinies in our hands by these resolutions,” they vowed.

According to them, “There is a Delta State Government policy against open grazing, so, here in our kingdom, we are henceforth strictly enforcing it. No more open cattle grazing in Oghara Kingdom.”

The resolutions were reached at a meeting aimed at addressing the insecurity challenges currently confronting the Kingdom, exploring practical steps toward addressing the situation and restoring peace and safety across the kingdom.

The strategic meeting held at the Palace of HRM Noble Oyibo Eshemitan Orefe III, Ovie of Oghara Kingdom, with traditional chiefs, youth leaders, identified cattle traders and those who lease out farmlands, other stakeholders and the Oghara Study Group (OSG) in attendance.

Happy with the resolutions, David Ugolor, convener of OSG, lauded the monarch and called for the setting up of a Technical Team and convening a Town Hall meeting on the security situation.

He enjoined the political elite, especially in the locality, “to throw their weight fully behind the cause,” which he described as noble. He urged them to empower the youth, especially those who are taking the bull by the horns in helping to tackle the situation.

“We will work with the youth on this. I am appealing to the politicians to wake up to give the much-needed support to our youths. Let’s empower them.”

He also commended the identified cattle traders and those leasing out farmlands for grazing for willingly giving up their sources of income for the security of Oghara Kingdom.”

The identified cattle traders and those leasing out farmlands for grazing, on their part, assured the monarch and people that they would keep to their promise to quit the business henceforth if it would bring the much-needed peace in the kingdom.

Some indigenes of the state have continued to fault the federal and state governments for not implementing the anti-open grazing law passed in the past.

They have also identified institutional challenges as one of the reasons. According to them, laws are supposed to be enforced by the police, but the state governments that enacted the anti-grazing laws unfortunately do not have control over the police to ensure enforcement. That brings to the fore the need to have state police, they said.

They also believe that merely enacting a law is not enough, as the government must have the political will to enforce the anti-grazing law.

Thus, a combination of institutional challenges and lack of political will is blamed for the non-enforcement of the anti-grazing laws all over Nigeria, observed frustrated citizens.