Amotekun Arrests Two Fulani Herdsmen, Cows For Destroying Farms In Ondo

 The Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun, has arrested two Fulani herdsmen with their cows for destroying crops on some farms along Irese/Ijare Road, Ifedore Local Government Area of the state.

The state Commander of Amotekun Corps, Adeleye Olatunji, confirmed the development to SaharaReporters and warned herdsmen to stop destroying farms in the state.

Olatunji said the herders were apprehended with their cows following a complaint lodged by youths in the area over the destruction of their farmland.

“The youths came to the office to report that their farms were destroyed overnight by some herders and some of the herders came with guns and cutlasses, and they wounded one of them. The person they wounded also came to the office.

“So, we sent our men to join them and we were able to apprehend the one that was alleged to have gone there with a gun. Although we were not able to recover the gun from him, investigation is still ongoing. We have two of them with us now,” he told SaharaReporters.

Last month, Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of the state, issued a seven-day quit notice to the herdsmen operating illegally in the state’s forest reserves.

Apart from ejecting the herdsmen, the governor also banned underage grazing, night grazing, and movement of cattle within the cities and on highways.

The governor had said, "Today, we have taken major steps at addressing the root cause of kidnapping, in particular, and other nefarious activities detailed and documented in security reports, the press, and debriefings from victims of kidnap cases in Ondo State.

"As the chief law and security officer of the state, it is my constitutional obligation to do everything lawful to protect the lives and property of all residents of the state. In light of the foregoing, the following orders are hereby issued: All forest reserves in the state are to be vacated by herdsmen within the next seven days with effect from today, Monday, January 18, 2021."

The issue generated an uproar and after a meeting with different stakeholders, Akeredolu asked herdsmen to register with the government so that they can operate unhindered in the forest reserves.

Speaking to SaharaReporters recently, Adeleye said some of the herders who could not cope with the terms and conditions of the government had decided to leave the state.