Oyetola seeks stronger bond between herdsmen, farmers in Osun

Osun State governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, on Tuesday restated his administration’s commitment to strengthen peace between herdsmen and farmers.

He said his government would continue to maintain and sustain the atmosphere of relative peace and harmonious relationship between the herdsmen and farmers.

Oyetola emphasised that his government would continue to intensify efforts to strengthen the existing bond among the relevant authorities in order to forestall kidnapping and banditry.

The governor made these disclosures while hosting the leadership of the Osun State Cow Dealers Association; Members of the All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and the leadership of the Fulani/Bororo at his office on Tuesday.

Describing peace as a necessity, Oyetola said the state under his watch would do everything to enhance peaceful coexistence among the people.

He implored the leadership of the Fulanis/herders to keep ‘eagle eye’ on the illegal influx of people into the state and report strange movement to the security agencies.

Oyetola stressed the need for proper data collection and registration of herders living ‎in the state, saying the initiative would help to reflect true demographic composition and aid to know, identify, assess and evaluate the number of non-citizens living in the state.

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He said: “I am happy that peace has been continuously reigning in this state most especially between farmers, cow dealers and herders.

“This is an output of our administration’s commitment to ensure adequate security and guarantee the welfare of the citizenry.

“As a government, the maintenance of law and order as well as the general welfare of the people has been taken as priority since we summed office.

“We are doing everything to prevent illegal influx of people to our state as we request the cooperation of all and sundry to stamp out all forms of illegality in our state.

Earlier in his remark, the chairman of Osun State Cow Dealers Association, Alhaji Garba Usman commended the administration of Oyetola for taking security of lives and property as its priority.

He expressed the readiness of members of the association to support the government at maintain peace, law and order.