Oyo communities issue quit notice to herdsmen over security concerns

By Adejayan Gbenga

Leaders and residents of eight communities in Ogbomoso South Local Government Area of Oyo State have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to a group of herdsmen accused of constituting security threats in the area.

The affected communities, located around the Samaday area, are Ibapon Are Oluwamodupe, Ayedire, Mercy Land, Estate, Irewolede, Ona Igbala, Ifesowapo and Grace Land. The ultimatum was issued amid growing security concerns in parts of the Ogbomoso geopolitical zone, including reported cases of kidnapping.

It was gathered that cases of kidnapping had been reported in Oloka village, while another recent incident involved the abduction of 39 students and seven teachers in some communities in Oriire Local Government Area.

The ultimatum was issued at a meeting held on Monday and attended by community leaders, including Baale Ibapon, Ashifat Akanji; Chairman of Ogbomoso Parapo (Home Headquarters), Prince Aderemi Olude; Seriki Fulani Ibapon, Alhaji Idowu; other leaders and the affected herdsmen.

Akanji, who issued the ultimatum on behalf of the communities, said the residents were not opposed to Fulani people who had been living peacefully in the area. He explained that the affected herdsmen were unfamiliar to the communities and had recently settled there.

The Chairman of the eight communities, Alagbe Oyebamiji, alleged that the herders had constituted a nuisance in the area, accusing their livestock of destroying farms, damaging septic tanks and defecating on roads. He said the communities had previously reported the matter to law enforcement agencies, who drove the herders away before they later returned.

Olude said the intervention was aimed at protecting lives and property in the affected communities. He explained that the herders initially claimed they had permission from the Baale Ibapon to occupy the area, but the traditional ruler denied granting such approval. The herders then reportedly claimed that the Seriki Fulani in the area, Idowu, had authorised their settlement, which he also denied.

Olude said a broad-based meeting was subsequently convened, after which the herdsmen were given 48 hours to vacate the area. He added that failure to comply would lead the communities to take further steps according to the law, stressing that residents had a responsibility to report unfamiliar persons or activities that could pose security challenges.