Ondo Amotekun arrests 65 cows, herder over farm destruction

No fewer than 65 cows and the herdsman in charge, Adamu Adamu Yusuf , have been arrested by men of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, known as Amotekun, in Oda town, in Akure South Local Government Area of the state.

The arrest if the herdsman and his cows followed complaints by the residents and farmers in the area, over the destruction of their farmland by the cows.

They explained that they resorted to lodging a formal complaint to the Amotekun corps after all the appeals extended to the herdsman failed, alleging the cows and their owner to have destroyed their

They were arrested following a complaint lodged by farmers in Odoripo community of Oda town against the herdsmen of allegedly destroying maize, cassava and yam planted on their farmland.

According to the farmers, the herdsmen and cows were caught in the act at night as the farmers, estimating the value of the crops destroyed to be about N5.6 million.

The Amotekun Corps visited the Odoripo village in the middle of the night and found the cows and their owner on the farm where they were arrested.

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The cows and the owner were moved to the headquarters of the Amotekun headquarters in Alagbaka which is about seven kilometres, in an operation that took place between 10 pm to 3 am

One of the farmers, however, disclosed that the suspect and cows were released after intervention by the leadership of the Miyetti Allah while the suspect parted with N.5m.

Confirming the arrest, the Commander Ondo security agency Amotekun, Mr Adetunji Adeleye, warned the herdsmen to stop destroying farms in the state.

He said “If you continue to disturb farmers and their farms, there will be famine. This is because there will be no food for people to eat. This is why we are asking you to talk to your men not to destroy people’s farmland.

Speaking on behalf the Meyitt Allah Association in the south West, the Chairman in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Audu, said “I appreciate the efforts of the state governor for allowing us to resolve this matter amicably.

“We have had a meeting in the south West warning our herdsmen not to perpetrate any havoc and we will keep talking to them and disciplinary action must be taken. ”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE