Tension is rising in parts of Delta State following startling revelations that some Fulani herdsmen may have established settlements in community forests with the consent of local traditional rulers. These monarchs are accused of accepting cash and cows in exchange for access to lands that have now become hotbeds for kidnapping and banditry.
According to a report by Vanguard’s Niger Delta Voice (NDV), concerned residents and rights activists claim that certain royal fathers and vigilante leaders have been compromised. In some cases, herdsmen reportedly offered monetary gifts and livestock to secure approval to occupy forests within various communities. These deals, often concealed from the general public, have sparked outrage among locals who continue to suffer from repeated abductions.
A vocal human rights advocate, Harrison Gwamnishu, warned against politicizing the Delta Community Security Corps Agency law, expressing fears that allowing political figures and traditional leaders to nominate vigilante members could jeopardize public safety.
Multiple sources allege that criminal elements among the herders now use these forest settlements as hideouts, making it difficult for security operatives to track their movements.
One herdsman, speaking anonymously to NDV, defended their presence in the forest, saying, “We give money to your traditional leaders, but some villagers may not be aware of this, which is why they bother us. They accuse us of going about in a bush that is not ours. Look, ask your traditional rulers; we paid for it. Stop claiming that we stay in your bush without paying; that is incorrect. We are paying, I assure you.”
