A lawmaker of the Delta State House of Assembly has raised alarm after an unidentified helicopter was spotted many occasions landing inside the forest where thousands of herdsmen and their cattle reside.
File photo
While speaking during a security meeting with stakeholders in Abraka on Tuesday, Evance Ivwurie, the lawmaker representing Ethiope East in Delta State House of Assembly, raised alarm over fears that an unidentified helicopter was always landing inside the Ovre-Abraka desert of the state where thousands of herdsmen and their cattle reside.
According to Vanguard, the lawmaker who launched his 'Operation Arrest, Meet and Engage Their Sponsor', campaign against herdsmen in his constituency last year, described the desert land across the River Ethiope known as Ovre-Abraka as a time-bomb waiting to explode owing to the activities of herdsmen in the area.
Making the disclosure, Ivwurie, said information at his disposal indicates that the desert had become a safe haven for herdsmen numbering over 2, 000. “If you go there, there are more than 5,000 cattle with more than 2,000 herdsmen dwelling in the place.
“They carry all kind of weapons and many unwholesome activities are going on there. I am aware of this and have taken the liberty to report the issue to the state government.
“In that place, a helicopter is always landing from time to time and we do not know what is going on there. The government needs to look into the issue critically because we fear that one of these days, the herdsmen may decide to cross the river and invade the community,” he said.