The indigenes of the Beneku community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Delta State, have formally asked the state governor and police to intervene after Fulani herders repeatedly entered and damaged their farms, despite a court‑mandated agreement to leave the area. The petition, dated 28 September, was addressed to Governor [Sheriff Oborevwori](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheriff_Oborevwori), the Livestock Management Committee Interventionist Agency and the state Commissioner of Police, alleging that the herders continue to graze on and destroy crops.
**What legal basis does the community cite?**
The community points to a judgment from the Ashaka Magistrate Court and a settlement reached on 12 March 2024, which required the herders to vacate Beneku’s forested lands. Signatories of the petition include the community’s Okpala Uku, Ajuwa Oyemike, High Chief Samson Enene, secretary Mr. Onwubolu Edike, and other local leaders.
**What impact have the herders’ actions had on locals?**
Residents report substantial loss of subsistence crops, pushing many families into poverty. They also claim the herders have threatened violence against women and anyone who opposes them, heightening fear of a broader security breakdown.
**What did the petition specifically request?**
The community urged the governor, police commissioner and relevant authorities to compel the herders to honour the court’s consent judgment and the March agreement, thereby averting a potential crisis that could undermine public peace and security.
"Up till now, they continue to invade our farms, graze on our lands, and destroy our farmlands and crops, while threatening to rape our women and kill anyone who confronts them," the petition states.
**What steps were taken by the community?**
During a general meeting on 17 September, Beneku indigenes unanimously resolved to demand that the Fulani herders respect the legal order and vacate the community’s bushes and farmlands. They warned that failure to act could lead to a breach of peace, security and order, undermining governmental and police efforts.
The petition reflects growing tension between agrarian communities and itinerant herders in the region, a dispute that has repeatedly sparked calls for stronger enforcement of land‑use agreements and protection of farmers’ livelihoods.
For further context, the Fulani herders have been a focal point of security concerns across Nigeria, with numerous incidents of farmland encroachment reported in various states.
**What is the next expected action?**
The community hopes that the state government will act swiftly to enforce the court ruling, restore order, and prevent further agricultural loss and violence in Beneku.