LEAVE OUR LAND ALONE” AND “WE DEPEND ON OUR FARMS TO SURVIVE”.-AGUDAMA-EPIE COMMUNITY

Tension filled the streets of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Thursday morning as dozens of women from the Agudama-Epie community staged a protest against alleged land encroachment and destruction of their farmlands by youths from neighboring Afenka. The protesters, dressed in black, blocked the busy Mbiama-Yenagoa Road with sticks, leaves, and placards bearing messages like

“Leave Our Land Alone” and “We Depend on Our Farms to Survive”.

The women accused Afenka youths of forcefully invading their land, destroying crops, and threatening their livelihood. They demanded urgent intervention from the state government, security agencies, and traditional rulers to prevent a potential communal clash. Security operatives were deployed to the scene to restore calm, while community leaders met to broker peace.

This incident highlights ongoing land disputes in the region. In a related issue, the Bayelsa State government had previously resolved a disputed land issue between some landlords and the Nigerian Navy at Agudama-Epie community. The government confirmed the Navy’s ownership of the land, sold to them by Rear Admiral Porbeni, but promised to consider compensation for former claimants

The protest underscores the need for effective land management and dispute resolution mechanisms to prevent escalating tensions and ensure peace in the community