….We won’t watch our people being slaughtered like animals —Moses Taiga

By Festus Ahon

ASABA—PRESIDENT- General of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU,  Olorogun Moses Taiga, has said that the Urhobo nation will not fold its hand and watch her people slaughtered like animals by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Taiga, who spoke when the UPU National Executive paid a solidarity visit to the Ovie of Orhuarivie-Abraka, lamented that the ravaging herdsmen had invaded and taken over the peoples farm lands. He urged  the state and Federal Governments to take drastic steps to check the incessant attacks on the people.

Taiga was represented by his First Vice President General, Chief Osiobe Okotie.

On the reported attack on the palace by Urhuoka youths, Taiga charged the youths to respect their king, decrying the killings that took place. He added that such action does not portray the youths in good light to the outside world.

Armed Fulani-herdsmen

Earlier in his brief, HRM Uku Ojevworo Majeroh, Ojeta II, the Ovie of Orhuarivie-Abraka, narrated how his palace was attacked by Urhoka youths last week after a youth of the community, identified as Solomon Ejoor, was beheaded by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Saying he had directed the President General of the kingdom, Chief Tedwins Emudainohwo, to incident the killing of the youth with the Police before the attack, the monarch lamented that the youths wreaked havoc and desecrated the palace.

He said that the aggrieved youths over powered the community vigilante group and the police, who were drafted to protect the palace. He thanked Chief Emudainohwo who he said later mobilized soldiers that came to his rescue and provided security for the palace.

He alleged that his cousin’s car and that of Emudainohwo were destroyed by the rampaging youths, saying that nine expended cartridges were recovered at the palace ground.

He added that his people were insisting on the sack of herdsmen from the community.

Speaking in the same vein, President General of the Kingdom, Emudainohwo lamented that they lost two to three persons yearly to the attacks by Fulani herdsmen.

Adding that herdsmen chased from other parts of the state and Edo State have settled at Ovre-Abraka.

According to him, the police and other security agents were aware of the settlement but have refused to chase the herdsmen from their farm land, adding that the continuous attacks had brought untold hardship on their people.