Security
SOME residents of Magboro, in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, have called on the State Government and security agencies to rein in the activities of herdsmen in the community.
The landlords, who spoke to PUNCH Metro on Wednesday, lamented the presence of herdsmen in their neighbourhood at an ungodly hour, saying their activities constituted security risk.
They also said some of the men carried guns while grazing their cattle on residential areas.
A landlord, Linus Okoye, said he had seen the herdsmen entering into the community with cattle three times in January.
He said, “I saw them at Magboro town as they grazed their cows and moved to the Abule area to MFM Prayer City, Magada and Onigbagbo areas. I was shocked when I saw them grazing their cows around 3am sometime last week. For the past 10 years that I have been living in this community, I have never seen them within this neighbourhood until now.
“We don’t want cattle in Magboro because there is no farmland here. We are living in this community with our wives and children and there are schools all around. So, what business do cattle have with humans? We feel uncomfortable. If they want to graze, they should go inside the bush. This is a town. We are trying as a community to repair our roads and they want to compound the problem; that will not happen. The government should stop their activities here. If we want to buy cows, we know where to get them.”
Another landlord, Wole Akinlowo, who is also a member of the Magboro Community Development Association, described the development as strange, saying reports from residents showed that trouble might be looming.
Akinlowo noted that on Sunday, January 21, the herdsmen were seen grazing between 4pm and 5pm, adding that they returned on Thursday, January 25.
“Around 2am on that day, they passed through every nook and cranny of the neighbourhood, searching for where to graze. After they left around 4am, cow dung littered everywhere. What would happen if anyone mistakenly threw a stone at the cows?
“The real issue is that the neighbourhood is not for grazing. Except for few houses under construction, there are houses everywhere. There is no farmland, ” he added.
Another resident, Damola Ojo, said he was returning home from work around 12am when he sighted the herdsmen with their cattle.
“I decided to drive slowly to observe the man leading them. I saw him with a gun. He did not hide it. These Fulani herdsmen are getting emboldened and it is sad that nobody is doing anything about them,” he said.
The Chief Security Officer of Kara-Ibafo, Usman Aliu, condemned the alleged actions of the herdsmen.
He said, “I support the move to stop their night movements because it is unreasonable. These are difficult times and people are scared. If they want to feed their cows, they should go to the expressway. They should not be entering into people’s houses. I also have cattle and I take them far from residential areas.”
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the command was not aware of the development.
He urged residents to report their security concerns to the police.
He said, “If there are herdsmen carrying guns, residents are supposed to report at the nearest police station. We have security forums and committees comprising traditional leaders and heads of the Fulani community. We are a proactive organisation and we cherish information on any security threat.
“However, people should stop raising false alarms. We once got a report that herdsmen razed a farm in Ijebu Ode, which did not happen. If you see anything that is inimical to your safety, let the police be your first port of call.”
The state Commissioner for Information, Adedayo Adeneye, had yet to react to the incident as of the time of filing this report. – Punch
– Feb. 1, 2018 @ 10:46 GMT
Tags: Magboro community raises the alarm over herdsmen invasion
