Crisis is brewing in Oke-Ogun axis of Oyo state over alleged invasion by suspected Fulani herders of some communities in the area.
The elders under the auspices of Oke Ogun Council of Elders have called on both the Federal and state governments to beef up security in the area.
This development is coming barely 12 hours after the massacre of worshippers at Saint Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo state by the suspected herders
However, the Council, rising from its mid-year meeting in Ibadan on Sunday decried the situation in which when farmers and herders have clashes, security agencies, especially the Police, tend to side with the herders, even when the farmer was the victim.
The Council under the leadership of its President, Otunba Bamidele Dada, former Minister of State for Agriculture and Water Resources urged the government to be more proactive by equipping security agencies more and enforcing anti-open grazing law that was promulgated in 2020.
The communique read, “the Council took note of the alarm raised by the former Director of Military Intelligence and current Chairman of the Oyo State Security Network, Amotekun, General Kunle Togun, rtd, on the influx of foreign Fulani Bororo who seem bent on taking over many lands in Nigeria, particularly in the South West.
“Togun, for the umpteenth time, raised the alarm while delivering a paper titled ‘Security Challenges: ‘The Significance of Regional Security Dimensions,’ organised by the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies, IPSS, Students’ Association, University of Ibadan not long ago. His view was corroborated by the pioneer and current directors of the institute, Professors Isaac Olawale Albert and Tajudeen Akanji. The Oke-Ogun Elders expressed serious concern on this matter because Oke Ogun, which they represent, is one of the focal areas that the foreign marauders are using as an entry point into Nigeria.
“The Council also took note of incidents of kidnapping for ransom largely being perpetrated by suspected Fulani terrorists.
Various steps being taken to confront the security challenges were also considered.
After an exhaustive deliberation, the Council resolved as follow:
“The extant insecurity situation in the area is hampering smooth socio-economic activities particularly agricultural practices and commercial activities that involve moving from one location to another.
“The elders maintained that clashes between Fulani herders and farmers are still on. It is regrettable that when such incidents occur, farmers are always at the receiving end. This takes the form of farmers being penalized even when the farmer is the victim. Instances abound in which when, for instance, a cow ate tubers or grains sprayed with chemicals in a farm and something happened to the cattle, the farmer would be forced to pay for the dead cow even when it was the cattle that came to the farm. In this respect, security agencies, especially the Police, are called upon to ensure fairness and justice in their handling of farmers/herders’ clashes.
“The Council commended Oyo State Government under Governor Seyi Makinde, who, along with his colleagues in the South West, established the Amotekun corps. It then urged the government to further strengthen the corps in terms of logistics, personnel, incentives etc. with a view to maximizing its operations. Given their efforts at stemming the frequent clashes between farmers and herders, the various vigilante groups set up by various local government councils in the area as well as traditional security outfits, known as Ode, under the auspices of Obas and respective town unions were appreciated.”
The council appealed to Governor Makinde to put into operation without further delay the Anti-Open Grazing Law enacted by the Oyo State Government in November 2019 to reduce the frequent clashes between farmers and herders.
Elders council, however, noted with concern the strike action embarked upon by members of the vigilante group established by various local government councils in Oke ogun as a result of imprecise remuneration and poor welfare, urging the governments concerned to, as a matter of urgency, respond positively to the demands of the striking security personnel as their service is very critical. “