Council Chairman and Monarch Call for Self-Defense and Forest Rangers as Etsako East Faces Escalating Violence

Our reporter

Amid on-going violence and escalating fears, the Executive Chairman of Etsako East Local Government Council, Hon. (Princess) Benedicta Attoh, and prominent traditional ruler, HRH Peter A. 

Osigbemeh, have voiced urgent appeals for government action and local self-defense measures to address brutal attacks by armed herdsmen in the Council.

Following the recent massacre in Okpekpe and the attack in Itsukwi community, local leaders are calling for the establishment of Forest Rangers and the legalization of self-defense to protect citizens and restore peace to the beleaguered communities.

 

In a statement released to Uptown Press, Hon. Attoh condemned the spate of killings, emphasising the toll it has taken on residents who fear for their lives and livelihoods.

"Etsako East has become a killing field," she said, noting that herdsmen have targeted farmers on their lands, killing some and forcing others to flee.

Attoh highlighted a pattern of increasing violence, describing the area as “on fire” due to daily incidents of killing and kidnapping.

 

Expressing frustration with what she characterized as the Federal Government’s inadequate response, Attoh urged the government to deploy military forces to secure farmland areas, where villagers now feel endangered. She warned that community patience has run thin, noting, "The government should be ready to accept the outcome of the people's actions if they continue to fail in providing protection."

She also called on the National Assembly to amend the constitution to permit self-defense, asking rhetorically, "Shall we continue to wait for government when we die daily?"

 

In solidarity, HRH Peter A. Osigbemeh, the monarch of Okpekpe, urged both the Federal and State Governments to empower communities by establishing Forest Rangers.

He advocated for a localized approach, which would involve equipping local vigilante groups and hunters with security tools to protect community forests, where the majority of attacks take place.

According to the monarch, the "current madness has gone beyond the mere establishment of security agencies," and a more focused approach in forest areas is essential.

 

The traditional ruler criticised the government’s apparent lack of urgency in deploying the military to affected rural areas, arguing that a proactive stance involving local residents in security efforts is necessary.

"We need Forest Rangers who will permanently be based in the forest to enable farmers freely go to their farms," he said, urging the state to allow local communities to protect themselves by arming residents designated as forest guards. Osigbemeh added that the issue of security must be rethought, as "keeping the military in the town while the bush remains in turmoil" only exacerbates the crisis.

 

The attacks have left Etsako East residents in deep mourning and fear, with many villages now abandoned as residents flee from their homes.

The recent killings have stoked fears that local farmers, now too afraid to work their fields, will face severe economic hardship. Both Attoh and Osigbemeh warned that without immediate action, the region could face greater instability, with communities resorting to self-defense to confront the on-going threats.

 

The council chairman and monarch’s statements reflect a growing demand for swift and direct action to curb violence and ensure local security, as residents of Etsako East await a government response to their urgent pleas for protection.