Women from the Yenizue-Gene and Okutukutu communities in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State took to the streets on Monday, blocking Melford Okilo Road to protest alleged attacks by herdsmen. The demonstrators expressed their frustration over reported incidents of rape, harassment, and the destruction of their farmland, causing traffic disruptions for several hours.
They set up canopies and displayed cassava tubers and crops they claimed were damaged by cattle. With the road blocked, motorists had to find alternative routes.
Despite police efforts to persuade them to clear the road, the protesters demanded the full enforcement of the state’s anti-open grazing law and accountability for those responsible. Reports indicated that a recent incident involved an elderly woman allegedly assaulted while working on her farm. In response to such events, the women gathered as early as 6 a.m. to voice their concerns.
Holding placards with messages such as “They are raping our women, government help us,” and “Remove cows from our farms,” they called for immediate action from authorities. One protester, Madam Gift, a mother of three, shared their plight, stating, “Many of us have stopped going to our farms due to constant attacks and destruction by herdsmen.”
Bonus Wombu, a retired farmer and provost marshal of Oguan, criticized the government’s inaction, saying, “Farming is my only source of livelihood, but it has been destroyed. The anti-open grazing law was passed in 2021, yet it remains ineffective. Recently, a woman was assaulted on her farm in Amarata. We cannot sit idly by while outsiders take over our land.”
At the time of this report, Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Alonyenu Idu, was meeting with the protesters to address their concerns.
