Pointblanknews.com gathered that in January 2021, a group of Fulani herdsmen had taken their cows to farmlands in Ozuitem and destroyed farm land and cash crops and allegedly threatened the farmers.
The affected farmers had through their representatives reported the matter to the chairman of Bende LGA, who later directed the Divisional Police Officer, (DPO), Bende Police Division, to investigate the matter.
Few weeks after the farmers and villagers lodged the report, there was another clash at Onuiyagha area in Bende LGA when some unknown persons clashed with herders over the destruction of their cash crops and some cows were killed.
Sources told Pointblanknews.com that penultimate Wednesday, the DPO of Bende LGA invited those who had earlier reported the destruction of their cash crops and farmlands by Fulani herdsmen to Umuahia.
The invitation was also extended to the two first class traditional rulers and president generals of some town unions, under the pretext that the Commissioner of Police wanted to broker peace between them.
When Eze Akaliro and another monarch, Ekebuisi and seven others got to the State Police Command headquarters,Umuahia, the Commissioner of Police,Mrs Janet Agbede was said to have ordered their arrest and detention, accusing them of organizing the killings of cows at Onuiyagha.
The Commissioner was said to have vowed that the two monarchs and 7 others will be in detention till they pay for the cows.She has refused all entreaties to release the monarchs on self recognition.
According to Community leader in Bende town,Chief Kalu Mba Uka; “It is unfortunate that our people including two first class traditional rulers are being unjustly detained at state command, Umuahia,under the directive of the state commissioner of Police, for no other reason than cows which have been destroying their farms were killed by unknown persons.
“It is only in this part of the country that a traditional ruler of Eze Akaliro’s standing will be detained by a CP because unknown persons killed some cows. Could CP Agbede have ordered the arrest and detention of a first class Emir or Oba because of cows?”
The community leader described the detention of the monarchs as a desecration of the traditional institution, injustice and intimidation against the people of Ozuitem.
He lamented that the people of Bende LGA have suffered from the destructive activities of Fulani herdsmen who destroy cash crops and farm lands and rape women and urged the government to order the herdsmen out of farmlands in the area.
As usual,the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mrs Janet Agbede,didnt respond to calls and text message placed on her mobile number, 08094448883,as it kept ringing without response.