Despite attempts to stop their demonstrations earlier in the week, aggrieved farmers in Southern Kaduna—mostly women—returned to the streets on Saturday to protest the destruction of their farmlands and recurring att+cks by armed herders.
The protesters, dressed in black and joined by some men and children, marched barefoot from several villages including Aribi, Kenyi, Kutaho, Kabara, Kushe, Dogonkurmi, Katugal, Nkojo, and Kurmin Jibrin to the palace of the Chief of Koro, His Highness Yohanna Akaito, in Kurmin Jibrin, Kagarko Local Government Area. Many had their faces painted black, with leaves on their heads and in their mouths, symbolizing mourning and anguish.
Chanting sorrowful songs and prayers such as “Our Father in heaven, we have come before You; please wipe away our tears,” the farmers decried what they described as unchecked v+olence and impunity by armed herders d£stroying their crops and livelihoods.
On reaching the palace, the demonstrators forced their way in, pleading with the traditional ruler to intervene and pressure the government and security agencies to act swiftly. They warned they would return to the streets if authorities failed to respond.
Speaking before the monarch, one of the women lamented: “Your Highness, we come before you as widows, orphans, and s¥ffering sons and daughters of Koro land. Our farmlands have been d£stroyed; everything we toiled for is gone. Each time we defend our farms, we are att+cked with m@chetes. They are k+lling our husbands and children.”
She appealed to the Chief for urgent action, saying, “We have come because we have no one else to run to. Please help us end this suffering and restore peace and justice to our land.”
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