Fulani Herdsmen: We’ll Not Allow Any Part Of Our Land To Be Recolonized, Says Umukoro

By Daniel Dafe
The President of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Youth Wing, Comrade Efemena Umukoro, has said that Urhobo youths will not sit down and watch Fulani herdsmen kill Urhobo indigenes anymore, adding that they will not allow any of their land to be recolonized by Fulani herdsmen.
The UPU youth leader said this during a second visit to Agadama, one of the Urhobo communities that were recently invaded by Fulani herdsmen.
According to him, six additional corpses have been discovered hidden in the bush.
He said: “Yesterday, being the 17th day of February, 2020, the UPU Youth Wing ably led by Comr. Umukoro Efemena Kelly led Urhobo youths to revisit the troubled community of Agadama in Ughelli North LGA, over the killings of Urhobos by marauding Fulani herdsmen. After the UPU Youth Wing’s first official visit to communities affected on the 15th day of February, 2020, the President General of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Worldwide, Chief Engr. Orode Joe Omene, directed the Youth President to revisit the community in other to meet with families directly affected by the attack to get their personal details in order for Urhobo Nation to be empirical with figures which will guide the Urhobo Nation(UPU) on further meaningful decision to be taken to put a final stop to these senseless and provocative killings of our people.”
During the said visit, Umukoro met with the Agadama Community Youth President, Comr. Sunday Oniovoguma, who narrated the whole incidence and gave details of those who were directly affected.
The names of those murdered by Fulani Herdsmen were given as: Ejtweyere Abura, Samson Oruwese, Philip Emesharerueke, Useh Ejiroghene, Ero Arakpore Ochuko Freeborn and Fidelis Toje.
Furthermore, Oasis Magazine (OM) gathered that two other corpses were found completely burnt beyond recognition, as one was still missing though believed to be dead as at the time of filling this information.
While sympathizing with the family of the deceased and the affected communities, the UPU Youth Wing President assured them of UPU’s moral support and that the message would be conveyed to the PG, adding that the killings will not continue.
He said: “We are law abiding but we have every arsenal to protect our territory and we shall not allow any part of our land to be recolonized by Fulani herdsmen. “
Furthermore, while expressing the union’s displeasure at the despicable act, he called on government at all levels to guarantee the safety and security of lives and property of Urhobo people, stressing that if this is not done, Urhobo youths will resort to self help, as he opined that no tribe or race has the monopoly of violence.
Speaking further, he commended the Chairman of Ughelli North Local Government Area, Hon Godwin Abode for his proactive effort, dedication and zeal in handling the situation.
He added: “I fell in love with the Local Government Chairman of Ughelli North. I have visited the communities twice unannounced and on these two occasions he was on ground preaching peace and ensuring that security agents were on a red alert which I believed made those who earlier ran away from the community to start returning home.
“Not just that, the Chairman led the security team on both occasion to the bush in search of and possible rescue of our people. As the President of Urhobo Youths Worldwide, on behalf of our twenty four kingdom youth leaders and in the Diaspora, I say a big thank you to Hon. Godwin Abode.”