Agbekoya not a militant group —President-General

A Nigerian frontline farmer’s group, Agbekoya Farmers Society, has been described as a peace-loving society and not a militant group as being portrayed by some people who are laying claim to be members of the group.

Speaking on behalf of the President General of Agbekoya, Chief Kamorudeen Okikiola, the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olatunji Bandele, noted that farmers’ society, which was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission since 2012 and issued a certificate number CAC/IT/NO.51134, is a corporate organisation with a mission to practice commercial and merchandised farming in Nigeria and abroad.

Bandele, while reacting to an incident which occurred in Ibadan some weeks ago where some hoodlums who claimed to be members of Agbekoya confronted policemen and also attacked Ogbere Police station, stated that those miscreants were not members of the group, adding that the organisation would not take things lightly with those who hide under the guise of being members to perpetrate evil acts.

“These people are miscreants and hoodlums who are not registered members of Agbekoya Farmers Society and who have teamed up with some bad eggs dismissed from our society for thuggery and militancy.”

Bandele further stated that these people had been reported to the Inspector General of Police through a petition dated September 30, 2015 and which the Director General of the Department of State Security Services headquarters, Abuja; the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone II, Osogbo and the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State were copied.

“In view of this, any group of people or criminals who are impersonating and hiding under the name of Agbekoya to perpetrate crimes will be dealt with accordingly. We, therefore, appealed to the police and other security agencies to assist our organisation in dealing with these impersonators and criminals according to the law and be brought to book to serve as deterrent to others,” he noted.