By Brave Dickson
The people of Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State have vowed to deploy attacking self defence on any herdsmen who attack any indigene in the area.
The decision is coming after some suspected Fulani herdsmen severally butchered a farmer from Eleme, Mr Aji Mbaba with machetes recently.
The President General, Chief Israel Abbey of the apex social cultural organization of the Eleme people known as O-E’La Bor Eleme General Assembly said this in a chat with our correspondent in Port Harcourt.
While condemning the attacks on the farmer, Abbey said: “I went to the hospital treating our indigenous farmer who was attacked by some Fulani herdsmen.
“The hospital told me that the farmer was attacked with machetes and was given some severe cuts on his head and body but has been discharged.
“I traced the injured farmer to his house and I met him in a terrible state.
“If God had not intervened, that farmer would have been killed.
“When I asked him how it happened, he said he was riding home on his bicycle from his farm when three Fulani looking people emerged from the bush, descended on him and started cutting him with machetes.
“The farmer muscled them and started running until he got to the road and fell down.
“When the herdsmen who were chasing him saw people coming to his rescue, his attackers fled.
The farmer told me he did nothing to the herdsmen and there was no argument whatsoever between them.
“And I know that all over Eleme here, there are Fulani herdsmen living in the bushes and nobody has stepped on their toes nor threatened them.
“As a first step, I have reported the matter to the Police Area Command in Eleme officially.
“But if there be any further attack on our people, then we will be left with no option than to attack back in self defence.”
