Ogun State: Monarch Threatens To Release Warriors On Fulani Herdsmen

While the South-West governors are still agitating for the full enforcement of ‘Operation Amotekun’, which has been lingering for a while now, a monarch in Ogun State has threatened that should the federal government of Nigeria refuse to put a stop to evil activities of the Fulani Herdsmen, he will not hesitate to send out local warriors to launch attack on them.

The Eselu of Iseluland in Oja-Odan in his statement while responding to farmers who stormed his palace to protest against recent attacks and destruction by the Fulani Herdsmen, noted that the herdsmen have made his community their abode after they were sent out from the Benin Republic.

Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, also stated that the herdsmen who have occupied a space in the state have been causing chaos in his community and thereby warns that he will release local warriors to battle them if the government chose not to stop them.

According Oba Akintude, the herders settled in Iselu, Oja-Odan and its environs with over 8,000 cattle feeding on his people’s farmland.

“Since I have been on the throne, this has always been a problem we have been trying to tame, but because of the stubbornness of these herdsmen, it has become so difficult to tame them,” he said.

“We can’t take it anymore. The soldiers in the Republic of Benin have chased them out and they have now seen our community as an alternative at the expense of the peace of our people.”

“They are now destroying our crops, raping our women and maiming our men among others. So, as a matter of fact, I appeal to the government to please come to the aid of our people as a matter of urgency.”

He added that he has once secured an interlocutory injunction against the herders but they neither honour nor adhere to the ruling of the court.

“But we have our own warriors too and if the government refuses to intervene we will be forced to defend our land and people.”

Confirming the report, one of the victims, Kushoro Michael, said the herders had destroyed over 10 hectares of his cassava farm.

“Many people have lost their lives; the herders do nothing but cause havoc,” said Kushoro.

However, reacting to the monarch’s claim, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed that the command had no issue with the indigenous Fulani herdsmen in the area but with the foreign herdsmen.

He said, “Those men that always come from Benin; they are always the problem, they are the ones that brought their cattle to destroy the people’s farms.

“That is why we set up a committee to ensure that any herdsman that comes to the state must register with the heads of indigenous herdsmen so that if he commits any offence it will be easy for us to track the perpetrators.

“We are doing everything possible to ensure that the people of the place have rest of minds.”