Herdsmen/Farmers Clash: Nine Killed In Oyo As Ajimobi Orders Arrest Of Armed Herdsmen

Herdsmen to illustrate the story

No fewer than nine people have been killed in Oyo State in the crisis between the herdsmen and farmers.

The State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude who disclosed this while speaking after a meeting to review the security situation, revealed also that a senior police officer was among the deceased.

However, he said that seven people had been arrested and assured that more would be apprehended and brought to book.

“The happenings in the last two weeks have been disheartening. We recorded killings of the officer in charge of SARS; a 70-year-old man, five unidentified people and another farmer, in Iseyin, Saki and Ile-Ido. So far, we have recorded death of nine people and we have arrested seven suspects.

“It is pathetic. We know that the cardinal programme of the state administration is to maintain peace and security. We are not going to allow such things to happen again. We have the men, the equipment and will to ensure that peace is restored. We must learn to live in peace,” he said.

The Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, directed security agencies to commence the immediate arrest and prosecution of any herdsman found in possession of guns and other dangerous weapons across the state in a bid to tackle the persistent clash between herders and farmers.

The governor gave the directive at a stakeholders’ meeting attended by the representatives of farmers, Fulani herdsmen, security agencies and other stakeholders, at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.

He also directed the immediate registration of herdsmen and possibly their cattle to separate criminal-minded herders from genuine herders, adding that a surveillance unit would be established to check the excesses of the herders and farmers.

Ajimobi said, “The flagship of our administration’s programmes and successes has been the maintenance of peace and security and we will not allow anybody to truncate this.

“Fulani people are good people; if not I will not allow my only son to marry a Fulani lady. We must separate criminals from the good people.

“Why will a herdsman be carrying gun? Henceforth, any herdsman found with guns should be arrested and prosecuted. Owners of cattle found grazing on farmlands and destroying crops should also be arrested and prosecuted.

“Any farmer that poison cattle should also be arrested and prosecuted. But, we must realise that some of these herdsmen come all the way from Niger Republic and Chad for grazing. Not all of these herdsmen are Nigerians.

“The people have their roles, while the government also have a role to play in finding lasting solutions to the menace. We must all participate in the security of our communities. Yes, it is the responsibility of government to guarantee the safety and security of the citizens, but we cannot do it alone.

“We must learn to live together in peace. A special surveillance unit will be created under the Operation Burst to curtail the excesses of those concerned and they will be adequately equipped and given necessary logistics.”

The governor also called for ranching as the global best practice to end the incessant crisis but urged the stakeholders to deliberate on a mutually-beneficial solution in the interim.