The Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, has directed security agencies to begin the immediate arrest and prosecution of Fulani herdsmen caught carrying guns and other dangerous weapons across the state.
The governor gave the directive at a stakeholders’ meeting aimed at dousing the tension triggered by the incessant herdsmen-farmers clash, which was attended by the representatives of farmers, Fulani herdsmen, security agencies and other stakeholders, at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.
The Governor also ordered the immediate creation of a surveillance unit under the Oyo State joint Security outfit to curtail the menace of cattle rustlers, murderous herdsmen, and farmers who are fond of poisoning cattle.
The meeting came on the heels of the recent murder of a police officer and 8 other people in the last 2 weeks at Iseyin, Saki and Ile Ido all in the Oke Ogun axis of the state.
Ajimobi also directed the immediate registration of herdsmen and possibly their cattle to separate genuine pastoralists from criminal-minded herders, as well as the convocation of a monthly stakeholders’ meeting at the state and local government levels.
In his address at the meeting, the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude, said that the police has enough men, equipment, the will and capacity to deal decisively with any criminal element in the name of the herdsman.
Odude expressed regrets that no fewer than nine people, including the officer in charge of Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS), had been killed in the last two weeks.
He, however, said that seven people had so far have been arrested in connection with the criminal activities, promising that more would be arrested and brought to justice.
Earlier, some of the leaders of farmers and Fulani’s present shared their views freely at the meeting.
Despite the fact that accusations and counter-accusations among farmers and herders trail the event, the Governor appealed to both sides, to allow peace reign.
