Beware Of Migrant Herdsmen, Stakeholders Warn Nigerians

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By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan

Stakeholders at a  peace parley held at the  Oyo State Police command headquarters, Eleiyele, Ibadan on Wednesday raised alarm of the existence of migrant herdsmen in the country.

According to the stakeholders, most of the atrocities being perpetrated in the country are allegedly traced to the migrant herdsmen with majority of them said to be from outside Nigeria, saying, “we should be very careful of the migrant herdsmen as any reprisal against the resident herdsmen could lead to catastrophe,”

The stakeholders in their resolutions adopted during the meeting advocated an urgent need for the registration of all Fulani herdsmen across Oyo State as well as establishing a reporting line through their local leaders, the Sarkin Fulani and the host community leaders.

Also, they urged  the government to further boost security at all border areas across the country as well as urged the Immigration and Customs operatives to be on the lookout for suspects majority of whom are from the neighbouring countries.

The stakeholders resolved further that under aged or juvenile herdsmen should be prohibited as they are incapable of effectively guarding their cattle from straying to the local farms thus destroying farmers crops.

Speaking at the peace parley, Oyo State Police Commissioner, Mr Abiodun Odude who presided over the parley which was an  interactive meeting between the Fulani communities resident across the state, the local farmers and leaders of thought as well as government officials said the meeting became necessary in view of the need for  a proactive measure to forestall unwholesome development considering series of reports from some states in the country.

CP Odude stressed that similar peace parley would be held  at the Area Command and Divisional levels in order to sustain peace and stability all over Oyo State adding that  “there is presently in existence the State Inter-Religious and Ethnic Committee for Conflict Resolution” which has also been very proactive for the same goal.

” We have to organise this meeting so that we can address some issues that are affecting our farmers and the Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria and we have to take this proactive step in this state so that the existing peaceful atmosphere will not be viod. Oyo state is a very peaceful state and we must make sure we do alot of things in making sure we are having a peaceful society and that is the reason why we are here today,” he said.

CP Odude  added “we must make sure that we are doing a series of meetings with both the farmers and the Fulani herdsmen in the state so that we can address alot of things that could have cause a serious avock to the security of the state within them, once we are meeting with them some serious issues that can affect both parties will be discuss and settle amicably and in a peaceful manner without shedding blood.”

Special Adviser to  Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Security ,  Mr. Segun Abooarinwa while speaking lauded the Oyo state Police  Commissioner for organizing the parley , saying, ” the peace we are all enjoying in the state is a collective efforts of all the stateholders in the state as led by the Oyo state police command.”

“We don’t want what is happening in others states in the country to happen here and that is why this meeting is very crucial at this time. You can all see that we don’t have a problem with the people of NURTW and also the level of robbery and other crime have drastically reduced so, everybody are sleeping with their biyhs eyes closed and we don’t want anybody to import what does not belong to us here as and started creating problem for us, that is why I said this meeting is crucial and we must appreciates the organisers of the stake holders meeting.”  he said

Mr Abolarinwa added that ” we just have to be leaving together in peace Nigeria because we are so many and we have to learn how to tolerates one another , for we have no where to run to God forbids if we have crisis. Our neighbours in right hand which is Benin Republic are just four million plus and at the left hand is just about eleven million people so we with our population as many as we are where are we likely to run to if we have crisis within us? So we need to embrace peace within us and shun all forms of violence.” .

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