Police throw weight behind herdsmen, orders end to attacks in Ogun

Estimated reading time: 10 minute(s)

Michael Babatunde

Ogun state Police command has ordered a stop to attacks on herdsmen’s settlement in the state.

Police said it is saddening that herdsmen in Ogun State who are ‘generally qualified to be called Yoruba fellows’ were being ‘denied rights to live in any part of the country and pursue their business including cattle rearing.’

Some herdsmen have allegedly been troubling various parts of the country for some years now destroying farmlands, raping, killing and abducting residents.

While there have been several reports of herdsmen attack in the state with no prosecution yet, there were allegations that some security agencies aided some herdsmen in dehumanizing residents in some parts of the state.

Recall that self-acclaimed Yoruba freedom fighter Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, arrived Ogun State on Monday, 1st February to evict herdsmen from the state and southwestern states at large.

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Following Sunday’s entry into the State some hoodlums have unleashed terror by launching reprisal attacks on herdsmen settlements in Yewa part of Ogun State.

In a related development, The Ogun State Police through its Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi gave the ‘STOP’ order is a release on Friday titled ‘THE ATTACK ON HERDSMEN’S SETTLEMENTS IN OGUN STATE MUST STOP NOW!’

Oyeyemi who described the attacks on herdsmen as unlawful called on Yoruba and Fulani across the state to fish out criminal herdsmen.

Rising from a stakeholders meeting yesterday, Thursday 4th February, 2021, at the palace of Alaye of Ayetoro, attended by representatives of the Fulani and Yoruba communities and heads of all the security agencies including the army and the DSS, Oyeyemi said there was a unanimous condemnation of all destruction killing and raping in the state.

In his words, “There have been some attacks in the past three days on herdsmen’s’ settlements in the State, especially in Yewa part of the State. The Command notes with sadness that the settlements affected have been in existence in the area for many years, in some cases over 20 years, and inhabited mainly by Nigerian herdsmen of Fulani extraction, some of whom were born and brought up in the area, and speak Yoruba language with proverbs fluently and elegantly. They generally qualified to be called fellow Yorubas!

“Therefore, it is unlawful, indeed unconstitutional, to deny fellow Nigerians the right to live in any part of the country and pursue their legitimate businesses, including cattle rearing. However, it is also advisable that herdsmen should avoid destructions of farmlands, which have been identified as the reason behind their unending disharmony and clashes with farmers and host communities.

“The Command also calls on both farmers and herdsmen, indeed the entire Yoruba and Fulani communities in Yewa and across the State, to fish out criminals especially herdsmen visiting from other states and neighboring countries who are perpetually creating tension amongst them, thus undermining their long and cherished history of peaceful coexistence.

“It is however, gratifying to note that at a stakeholders meeting yesterday, Thursday 4th February, 2021, held at the palace of Alaye of Ayetoro, attended by representatives of the Fulani and Yoruba communities, and heads of all the security agencies including the army and the DSS, wanton destruction of farmlands by cattle, kidnapping and raping of women as well as reprisal attacks on Fulani settlements were unanimously condemned as criminal and unacceptable, irrespective of the status, tribe or nationality of the perpetrators.”

While noting that some suspects have been arrested in relation to the attacks, Oyeyemi called for peaceful coexistence amongst all Nigerians living in the State.

He advised ‘Parents to call their wards to order, as anyone caught fomenting trouble in any part of the State will be dealt with decisively.’