By Frank Ulom
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – Farmers and landowners in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State have raised alarm over increasing incursions by armed herders, accusing them of destroying crops and threatening residents with rifles.
Residents across several communities alleged that herders, some carrying AK-47 rifles, have allowed cattle to graze freely on cultivated land, leaving farms devastated and villagers living in fear.
A native of Ntan Obu, a riverine community in Odukpani Local Government Area, Ikpeme Effiom, claimed his farmlands had been repeatedly destroyed since last year. He alleged that herders with large cattle herds have settled along riverbanks stretching from neighbouring Itu through Ntan Obu and adjoining Ukwa Eburutu communities.
“These cows have ravaged nearby farms, and when villagers protest, the herders intimidate them with guns,” Effiom said.
The situation also featured prominently during a live phone-in programme on HIT FM, where callers recounted similar experiences and accused the herders of operating with impunity.
One caller, Atim Otu, a teacher, alleged that cattle recently invaded her sister’s cassava farm in Okoyong, uprooting crops. She claimed her brother-in-law was threatened at gunpoint when he confronted the herder.
“They move about with their cows carrying rifles. They scare farmers who challenge them. People are now afraid to speak up while their farms are being destroyed,” she said.
Other callers from Atan Okoyong, Inua Akpa and Okurikang communities echoed the complaints, alleging that herders not only allow cattle to graze on farms but also uproot crops to feed their animals.
Some residents further alleged that farmers who attempt to resist sometimes face intimidation or are reported to security agencies, worsening tensions in the affected areas.
Reacting to the reports, the Secretary of Okun and Eniong Abatim Clan Council in Odukpani, Chief John Asanye, said while he could not immediately confirm incidents in Ntan Obu due to coastal changes, clashes between farmers and herders have been frequent in the Okoyong axis since 2019.
“These skirmishes have been common in the Okoyong neighbourhood since 2019,” Asanye said.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, told Daily Post that he would inquire from the Divisional Police Officer in Odukpani to ascertain whether any formal complaint had been lodged. No statement has been released to this effect at time of this report.
The development adds to longstanding concerns over farmer-herder conflicts in parts of southern Nigeria, with residents in Odukpani calling on security agencies and the state government to intervene and prevent further escalation.
