Women In Abia Community Lament Herdsmen Invasion, Rape

Women in Amiyiobilohia Community in Isikwuato Council Area of Abia State have cried to the state government to save them from herdsmen hiding in their farmlands.

The Women Leader of the community, Mrs Fidelia Mkpu, who spoke on their behalf, asked the state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, to rescue them from the invaders hiding in their area.

She made the appeal while presenting a speech during the commissioning of a 50 Units Open Shops built by the State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ASOPADEC) on Thursday.

According to Mrs. Mkpu, the presence of the suspected herders in their farmlands has prevented them from going to farm or to the stream.

While commending Governor Ikpeazu for directing that the project be located in their community, she called on the governor to intervene in the rising cases of attacks and in some cases, raping of women who go to their farmlands by the suspected herdsmen.

She further stated that fear had gripped the community following cases of attacks on women while going to their farms, a situa­tion she said, has now made people of the area abandon their farms.

She maintained that the community, being a food-producing area, may not be able to go to their farmlands to harvest or cultivate during the coming farming season.

Also speaking at the event, Hon. Kate Maduako, a serving commissioner in the Commission and a daughter of the community, decried the alleged attacks and prayed that God would intervene.

She assured them that the state government would do everything possible to protect the lives and property of people in the state.

Recall that a member of the state house of assem­bly representing Isuikwua­to, Hon. Barr. Emeka Okoroafor, had raised the alarm over rising cases of attacks and kidnapping within his con­stituency in recent times.