Emma Amaize
UGHELLI – WOMEN of Orhorho community, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, protesting incessant rape and attack by Fulani herdsmen, barricaded the East-West Road, Wednesday morning, preventing vehicles from Warri and Port Harcourt ends from passing.

Vanguard learned that the mothers and daughters, numbering about 1, 000, who sat on benches and woods on the expressway, blocked the highway at about 7.30 am, following a brutal attack, Wednesday morning, on a woman that went to the farm.

The victim, who refused the attempt by the Fulani herdsmen to forcefully have carnal knowledge of her was cut severally with machete by her assailants.

They left her for dead and bolted away after the attack and when other women in the community got to know about the incidenr, they staged a protest and blocked the expressway in their community.

Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Delta Command, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, said the police were aware of the peaceful protest by the women, and were monitoring the action with a view to calming down nerves and clearing the road.

While some of the women sat on the road, others demonstrated around the area with placards, some of which bore the inscriptions, “We don’t want Fulani herdsmen on our land,” “Where is Okowa, come and rescue us,” “Security agencies, do your work,” “No farm, no road for anybody to pass.”

Thousands of motorists and their vehicles were trapped in the ensuing traffic snarl, while the women rejected entreaties by the police and army to vacate the road.

They vowed to remain on the road until the state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, comes to address them on way out.

One of the women leaders told our reporter: “We not want Hausa people on our land, they are raping our women, the ones that refuse to be raped, they will butcher them with cutlass, they are lords even in our bush with their cattle.”

She said: “They have raped up to 10 women in recent months and some persons are dead. The women that was attacked this morning is lying on the ground there in front of a chemist shop.”

Another villager added: “A native, Rufus, who went to the farm, was killed December 25, last year, these people are armed with AK 47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons.”