Some aggrieved farmers in Ikoyi-Ile in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State have asked the state government to intervene in the ongoing criminal activities by some cattle herders in their community before things get out of control.
This call came in view of the reported vandalization of some farmlands in the community by some cattle herders who arrived at the area barely eight years ago.
The farmers said the herders often terrorise the community and also kill and maim their members and relatives.
Chief Oyekola Joseph, Babalaje Agbe in Orire Local Government Area of the state, said the farmers in the area were disturbed by the hostility, adding that “this has been our experience in thisk community in the past eight years.”
Oyekola, who doubles as the Secretary of the Idera Agbe Famers Association in the council, said, “We don’t know what to do again because if we take any step of revenge, it might lead to bloodshed. We want the government to help us by taking necessary steps because those who are supposed to rise against the incursion by the Bororo are not proactive.
“We recall that some herdsmen once cut off the hand of one of our workers while working on the farm. They destroyed our plants, another farmer was injured on the head. Two minors were once raped.”
A farmer, Usman Daudu, whose farm was vandalised by the herders, alleged that 20hectares of his maize, yam and tomatoes plantations were vandalised recently by the herdsmen.
Daudu, who claimed to have sustained a head injury from the attack by the herders, said, “They have not stopped the invasion of our farmlands We pleaded with them several times but they didn’t yield.
“They are ‘Bororo.’ These group of people are different from the Fulani herders that have been with us from time immemorial. We are used to those ones and we don’t have any issue with them.”
Another victim, Dominic Gbegbi, said he was cut with machete while trying to pursued the herders who invaded his farmland.
The Onikoyi of Ikoyi-Ile, Oba Abdul-Yekeen Oladipupo, said his efforts at brokering peace between the farmers and herders were abortive.
The Onikoyi said, “We have tried to resolve the crisis on many occasions because it is difficult to separate farmers and herders; we have been living together for a while. My efforts wasn’t successful. We need government’s intervention in the matter.
“I have had series of meetings with the baale’s in my domain with the aim of finding solution to the issue. I once had a meeting with the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in Osogbo together with the Commissioner of Police but there was no positive result.
The Onikoyi urged the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, the state House of Assembly and security agencies to the occasion before the issue degenerates to in the community.
