How Amotekun curbed the herder-farmer crisis in Ondo – Commander Adeleye

By Boye Oyeyemi –

The Ondo State Security Network Agency, also known as Amotekun Corps, has said it resolved more than 5,000 cases of herder-farmer conflicts within one year across the state.

Commander of the corps, Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed this on Thursday in Akure while speaking on the achievements of the security outfit since its establishment.

He recalled that the very first case he handled involved the arrest of 320 cows that had destroyed farmlands.

“We all know what it takes to arrest only one cow from a Fulani man, but I brought them to book, and I brought them to justice. Thereafter, I summoned the leadership of both Miyetti Allah and the farmers, allowing each group to know their limitations,” he said.

Adeleye explained that the corps embarked on public enlightenment to educate both farmers and herders on their rights and responsibilities, stressing that neither side had the right to destroy lives or livelihoods.

“We did massive public enlightenment for all of them and for farmers to know that they don’t have rights to kill herders or cows and for herders to also know that they don’t have rights to destroy people’s farms or kill farmers.

“We came up with an agreement that Amotekun officers would go into the farm and drive away all illegal herders. So, in less than one year, over 5,000 cases of herders’ and farmers’ clashes were resolved across the state. In most cases, restitutions were paid to farmers,” he said.

On cattle rustling, Adeleye warned that anyone caught stealing cows, regardless of their ethnic background, would be treated as a criminal.