The police in Ogun State said the recent attacks on Fulani
herdsmen’s settlements must stop henceforth.
Police threatened that kingpins, procurers and counsellors
of the hoodlums who attacked the Fulani settlement in Igua will also be fished
out to face the law.
This is coming barely four days after the popular Yoruba
freedom fighter, Sunday Adeyemo (aka Sunday Igboho) visited Oja Odan, Igua and
other communities to chase away those he called killer herdsmen.
Sunday Igboho’s visit led to the burning of Sarkin Fulani of Igua’s house and a cattle market, even as the Ogun State Government said it did not request Sunday Igboho’s help in tackling the suspected killer herdsmen.
Reacting to the incident on Friday, the Ogun police command
confirmed that “there have been some attacks in the past three days on
herdsmen’s settlements in the State, especially in Yewa part of the State.”
Making a veiled reference to Igboho, the command said, “The
attack on herdsmen’s settlements in Ogun State must stop now.”
The police said it noted with sadness that the settlements
affected have been in existence in the area over 20 years, and are inhabited
mainly by Nigerian herdsmen of Fulani extraction, some of whom, it said were
born and brought up in the area.
These Fulani herdsmen, according to the police, speak Yoruba
language with proverbs fluently and elegantly, saying, “they are generally
qualified to be called fellow Yorubas!”
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in
a statement, stated that “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, Oyeyemi cautioned herdsmen to avoid destruction of
farmlands, which, he noted, has been identified as the reason behind the
unending 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,” Oyeyemi advised.
According to him, a stakeholders meeting was held on
Thursday, at the palace of Alaye of Ayetoro.
Oyeyemi told DAILY POST that the meeting was attended by
representatives of the Fulani and Yoruba communities, including heads of all
the security agencies like the army and the DSS.
At the meeting, it was gathered that “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.”
It was gathered that the police has arrested some suspects
in connection with the recent incidents, promising to make example of them to
serve as deterrent to others.
“The Command therefore enjoins all the good people of Ogun
State to join hands with security agencies in promoting peaceful coexistence
amongst all Nigerians living in the State.
In the same vein, all the security agencies, have resolved
to deal decisively with miscreants and brigands alike, who are bent on
fomenting trouble in the State.
“Parents are therefore advised to call their wards to order,
as anyone caught fomenting trouble in any part of the State will be dealt with
decisively,” the statement read.
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Useless people!! You were quiet to the cries of ppl that have lost loved ones to gruesome murder and rape by the fulani herders.Now that people are saying no more,you all of a sudden what to keep law and order! What about the Wakilu guy in some town in ogun state that has literally chased people out of their farm and literally blocked the road and dare people to come through!! If you cannot handle that,then pls stay out of yoruba indegenes way when we say no more to fulani herders. We are not against any fulani herders in our mist in various field;we are solely against the presence of cow holders in our region with no ranches for them to feed their cow at.If there are no ranches in our region for them to feed their cows,then why are they there if not to feed on the sweats of law abiding farmers and them not having to pay for cow food as they will at ranches!!! This is not negotiate!!! There is chaos in the north due to this sets of people and we will not have such in yoruba kand.We are ready and it will get airy!!!!!!
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