Men of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun, have arrested a herder, Ibrahim Musa, his two underage children and his 49 cows in the Kajola area of Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State.
They were arrested for flouting the open grazing law of the state and engaging underage as herders and threatening a 70-year-old woman, Mrs Victoria Ajayi, when the cows invaded her farm.
The septuagenarian who reported the incident at the Amotekun office in Akure explained that she was resting when her grandson informed her that herdsmen and their cows have invaded her farm.
According to her, she saw the cows and two young boys who pointed cutlass at her when she ordered them out of the farm, while their father who was standing at a distance was watching without cautioning them.
She explained that “I was resting after taking my drugs because I was under medication for High Blood Pressure when my little boy called to draw my attention to the cows on my farm. I saw a man standing afar, while his two little boys were with the cows.
” I asked them to call on their father and take the cow out of the farm but as I was trying to tell these children to take the cows out of the farm, one of them brought out a cutlass and pointed it to my face. Then I knew I was in for big trouble.
” I quickly called my little grandson and went inside and locked my door. They were there for hours, destroying my vegetables, pepper and also watched how they dug my heaps of yams with their legs and eat the yams.
” I quickly took my boy and went out through the back door and reported the incident at Amotekun’s office for help and they responded
But the 52-year-old Ibrahim Musa denied being on the farm with his six-year-old twins and regretted the action, saying it was a mistake on his part.
“This is really a mistake on my part. I have been living in Akure for over 30 years without having trouble with anyone. I was not around when the incident occurred. It was my little boys that were with the cows.
“I was at Sabo area in Akure when it all happened. The younger one goes out with the senior while on training and they misbehaved.”
Confirming the arrest, the Amotekun Commander, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said; “We got a distress call from a woman that her farm has been destroyed by herders and that her life was under threat.
“Our response team moved immediately and we met the cows actually ravaging the farmland. We also met two under-aged shepherds as this is clearly against the law put in place by the state government. So we got them arrested.
“You will recall, that the Ondo State government has banned underaged grazing and wanton destruction of food crops. This is the reason we got them arrested knowing fully well that their father will show up.
Adeleye, however, said the children would be charged to juvenile court to face the law.
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