Ogun chief seeks measures to tackle herders’ menace

Our Reporter

A community leader in Ogun State, Chief Toyin Amuzu, has called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to be proactive and rally stakeholders and security chiefs to nip in the bud the menace of criminal herders before it degenerates into self-help as witnessed in other areas.

The Okanlomo Ijeun and Leragun Igbehin was reacting in Abeokuta to the incident of some suspected herdsmen who reportedly shot a woman, Morenikeji Salami, while going to her site on the Oru-Awa road in the Ijebu-North Local Government Area as well as brutality meted out to some residents of Ketu-speaking villages in Yewa North Local Government Area by soldiers who escorted herdsmen to graze in their communities.

He noted that there have been few skirmishes between herders and farmers within the State as well as a great influx of Hausa people.

He said the need for government to be proactive and ensure they live within the rules and regulations of the areas they have found themselves as enshrined in the Nation’s constitution.

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Amuzu charged Abiodun to provide leadership and take seriously the issue of security of lives and properties and not wait till it gets out of hands, saying “much is expected from the governor as the Chief Security Officer of the State”.

“The bandits are here in Ogun State terrorising our people, they are in Odeda here. Those in government should stop playing politics of receiving favour from Abuja and protect the lives of our people.

“Anyone who commits any crime should be treated as criminals by Government, leaving out their ethnicity and occupation. In fact reporting them as Fulani or herdsmen is merely reducing the issue, they are either bandits, armed robbers or kidnappers.” Amuzu said.

He sympathised with victims of kidnapping and commiserated with families of the victims of tanker explosion along the Presidential Boulevard, Kuto axis of Abeokuta metropolis.