Tension is mounting in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State as farmers whose farmlands were allegedly ravaged by grazing cattle have threatened reprisals.
The aggrieved farmers numbering about 400, drawn from various villages in Ido LGA including Abokede, Onikanga, Mabolese, Alatori, Agbetu and Olorode, Thursday mobilized at Omi-Adio, in a peaceful protest against the Fulani herdsmen.
They are protesting against the recurring invasion of their farms by Fulani herdsmen saying they had lost virtually all their farm yields to the invasions.
Led by the Secretary, Osho Forestry Reserve in the Local Government Area, Alhaji Asimiyu Yusuf, the protesting farmers further claimed that victims were also recorded from such villages as Adedapo, Olorode, Keji, Aboke, Pelu, Alagbe, Gbagba Elewure and Areyinjetu.
Among farm crops allegedly destroyed by the invading Fulani herdsmen, according to Alhaji Yusuf, were cassava, maize, yams, tomatoes, potatoes, peper as well as assorted vegetables, which are their only means of livelihood.
“Many of us have been ruined following the incessant invasions of our farms by the grazing cattle of these Fulani herdsmen, as we have no other means of livelihood,” he lamented, as he narrated the ordeals of the agitated farmers to newsmen.
“This year alone, some of our members were matcheted on their farms by invading Bororos while nothing seems to have been done by the authorities to checkmate them”, he further stated.
The aggrieved farmers told newsmen that the invading Fulani herdsmen, who are always armed with knives and guns as they also wear militant outlook, have been striking at the various farms with their grazing cattle not only in the day time but also at nights when nobody dared stop them.
It was also alleged that the invaders, at times, raped wives of some of the farmers.
The protesting farmers who claimed to have lodged series of complaints on the incidents to the Police and the State Security Service (SSS) then called on the State Government to intervene without further delay so as to save lives and property.
When contacted, the Sardaunan Yamma and Sarkin Sasa, Alhaji Haruna Maiyasin promised to wade into the matter before it gets out of hand.
The Sarkin Sasa who is the leader of the Fulani Community resident in the South West however pleaded with the aggrieved farmers not to take the laws into their own hands as the issues at hand are being resolved amicably.
It will be recalled that the leadership of the Fulani community resident in the South West recently rose from a meeting resolving to embark on compulsory registration of all Fulani herdsmen operating in the various states of the geo-political zone including their animals with a view to ensuring effective monitoring of their activities by their host communities and security operatives to guard against unwholesome behaviours.
Alhaji Maiyasin had also at that meeting called for cooperation of the host communities including the various state and local governments in supporting the Fulani leadership to effectively implement the proposed registration exercise.
He also mandated Fulani parents to keep close watch on their children and wards to ensure that they do not engage in anti-social behaviours or consumption of hard drugs.
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