Man Recounts Ordeal with Herdsmen

Mathias Odey, a 54-year-old who also doubles as a father of seven, recounted his ordeal with a herdsman who cut off his left hand during a clash on November 5, 2017. According to him, he had remained without help from anywhere.

Odey was injured during a clash between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Ugaga community of Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Southern City News learnt on Friday that the farmer was attacked by a herdsman in his farm when he was harvesting farm produce with his children.

He recalled the incident, “My children and I were plucking pepper from one of my farms. We usually do this together. After I finished with the pepper, I went to another section to harvest yam.

“I had barely harvested four tubers of yam when we saw some Fulani herdsmen entering our farm. Three of the herdsmen were with their cows, scattering the ridges. My son attempted to chase them, but one of the herdsmen brought out a cutlass and went after him.

“He hit my son twice but didn’t injure him. I went after him and suddenly, he turned towards me and tried to cut off my neck with the cutlass. I used my hand to defend myself and that was when it was chopped off.”

He said that he fell on the ground and called his children to help him, adding that in the process, he became unconscious and woke up in the hospital.

Odey said he had been depending on goodwill from friends to address his medical condition.

He said that he had spent the last four months visiting hospitals in Calabar and Ogoja for medical attention.

“When this incident happened, there were promises that the government would take care of my hospital bills and see to it that I get treated, but nothing of such has happened.

“I have been depending on the goodwill of family members. I have spent the last four months in and out of hospitals both in Calabar and Ogoja Local Government Area,” he lamented.

The father of seven wondered what would become of him as his hand, his primary tool for farming, has been cut off.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, had shortly after the incident confirmed the death of one with several others injured as a result of the clash.