The President of Ilora Development Association (IDA) in Afijio West Local Council Development Area of Oyo State, Elder Remi Olaniyan, in this interview by SAM NWAOKO, speaks on a recent attack on some members of the community allegedly by Fulani herdsmen in the community.
Have there always been complaints about Fulani herdsmen attacks in your community or what about this complaint?
There have been complaints about Fulani Bororo in Ilora and we had held series of meetings with them, especially on the issue of grazing of their cattle in people’s farms. We arrived at a decision that no cattle should be grazed or reared freely to graze the farms of other people. That was one of our resolutions. The Agro Rangers and law enforcement agencies are aware of that because when we hold meetings with them, we also invite the law enforcement agents to be there. So we have been having meetings with them.
So the complaint you brought now, did it come to you as a surprise?
Yes. There had been issues of kidnapping around the local government but the way this one came actually surprised us because it looks like a case of kidnapping, it also looks like a case of robbery.
How did it happen?
The victims said they were in their house when they began to hear a bang on their door about 12 am. They checked what it was about and it was while checking what caused the loud bang that he saw a group of six men trying to force the door open. He summoned courage, broke one of the doors and escaped through there, leaving his wife and children in the house. Eventually, they gained entry into the apartment and they beat the woman. Some of them pursued the man that had escaped and did that to some extent. The woman said she was pleading with them not to kill her and asked them what they wanted. She said she also told them that she recognised some of them and that they usually asked for water from her and she gave them water. While she was appealing to them, one of the suspects attempted to smack her head with a stick he had but one of the suspects dissuaded him from doing that. They were armed with cutlass and their sticks. They had tied her with a rope and dragged her around on the floor. They left her when she passed out and the husband who had gone to seek for help had rallied people and had also sought the help of security operatives. When all these people arrived, the assailants had escaped form their house. It happened that they live in a secluded environment.
If some of these suspects are known to the victim and her family, that means how they came into your community or who are their employers are might be known to you. Who could these people be?
There is a cattle ranch of about 15 acres in the community. It is a private ranch fenced with gate which is not far from the house of the victims. According to sources, the owner of the ranch is a Yoruba man by name Ademola Ajibola. They say he is from Otu in Itesiwaju LGA in Oke Ogun area of Oyo State. They say he comes there every three months. He was said to have employed the Fulani Bororo man to take care of the cattle and the ranch but when we got to the farm, we couldn’t sight any cattle, and it didn’t look like cattle were being reared there.
You had been to the police, you said and also, you have reported to other security agencies. What is their disposition to the matter?
The matter was brought to the Ilora Divisional Police office. The DPO, in his wisdom, said he could not handle the case and that the case had to be transferred to Ibadan. That was how the case was brought to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad in Ibadan where the case is currently being handled.
What now is your plea? What do you want government and all that are concerned to do?
The cattle ranch that has abandoned isolated buildings is a threat to security of the community. There is an extant law in Oyo State which prescribes that any building that has been abandoned for a number of years and which had not been taken care of by the owner, stands the risk of being taken over by the government. We want that law to come into effect in the case of Ilora so that those buildings will not be a threat to security of life and property in that area.
We also want those who wish to engage in livestock business to employ competent hands. They should employ workers that they can identify when called upon to do so. They can employ any worker, it might be Fulani or not, just employ people you can identify and whose background information you have knowledge of. We found that what many people do is that on a market day, they would go to the market and when they see Fulani, they would say, please come and be my staff. When that one comes, he will now invite other Fulani to join him in the farm. You employed one staff and soon, before you know it, you will be seeing four of them in the farm. The farm owner would think it is good for his farm and business because there is presence of hands there. However, those who were not employed would now go to the streets and begin to perpetuate crimes at night. Even those employed are given paltry sums as salary. You invested millions in your business, why don’t you employ competent people that will be paid adequately so that they can take care of your farm or business?
Have you met with the owners of these farms and placed these specific demands before them?
Yes. We have met them and we have told them this. However, we have not seen a change of attitude on their part.
How many suspects are in police custody?
Four suspects were arrested by the police. Two of the suspects escaped and are still at large. They are being detained in Ibadan by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad which arrested them. The victim was also brought to Ibadan by the police.
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