Etche community says attacks and destruction of crops have halted farming, seeks forest guards and farm support
Farmers in Umuanyagu community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State say escalating insecurity has forced them to abandon their farmlands, leaving families unable to feed themselves.
The community, which depends almost entirely on farming, says repeated attacks by armed groups and destruction of crops by cattle herders have made it unsafe to cultivate.
In interviews with Hello ICON Magazine, residents who asked not to be named for security reasons described life in the once-peaceful farming settlement.
“We are suffering and can no longer go to our farms. Armed gangs and reckless cattle rearers have taken over our land. We cannot feed our families and life has become unbearable,” a farmer said. “They even attack women on the farms. Nobody is safe anymore.”
Residents alleged that women have faced sexual violence on farmlands and that some abducted persons were killed even after ransom was paid. Hello ICON Magazine could not independently verify these specific allegations. Residents say fear has prevented formal reporting to security agencies.
Farmers say agricultural activities have been halted. Crops are left unattended, farmland destroyed, and families struggling to survive.
In response, the community is appealing to the Rivers State Government to deploy forest guards and security personnel to protect farming corridors.
They are also urging the government to provide agricultural loans and inputs, including fertiliser, to help farmers resume production.
“We want the government to send forest guards to our farmland so that we can farm freely and feed our families because our only occupation is farming and that has been taken away from us,” a community leader who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter said.
“If the government does not act fast, food insecurity will rise and our people will continue to suffer,” he warned.
The situation highlights the intersection of insecurity and economic hardship facing rural communities in Rivers State, where farming remains the primary livelihood.
As of press time, the Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture and the Rivers State Police Command have not issued a response to the community’s appeal.
