Herdsmen clash with Amotekun operatives after destroying farms in Ondo

Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun says herdsmen attacked its operatives in Ondo State while men of the agency were trying to settle a rift between them and farmers in the state, Punch reports.

Amotekun operatives in the state were reported to have moved to Osi Community in Akure North Local Government Area of the state following a distress call from farmers, whose farms were destroyed by cows.

Chief Adetunji Adeleye, the Commander of Amotekun in the state while addressing journalists on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, said one of the herdsmen was arrested with dangerous weapons.

He added that Amotekun operatives seized 16 cows from the herdsmen.

He said, “Some farmers from Osi Community ran to the office complaining that their farms had been destroyed by herds. We sent our men there to assess the situation. They found out that the herds were actually on the farm and we invited the herdsmen. But unfortunately, on getting there, they attacked our men with knives and other dangerous weapons. But we were able to arrest one of them, named Abdulkadir Mohammed.”

The Amotekun boss also disclosed that two suspected cattle rustlers, who came to steal cows belonging to one Alhaji Ilyasu were arrested.

He added that the rustlers’ vehicle, a NISSAN Serena marked LAGOS FJ 423 KRD, was also impounded.

“One Alhaji Ilyasu, a Fulani man came to us that some people came with a Serena Bus to steal their cattle. They came to us and we sent our men out. We were able to recover the vehicle they wanted to used in stealing the cows, we also recovered the cows.

“We were able to trace some of the rustlers that ran away to somewhere in Ogun State. We have apprehended one Sudauna Gombe and one Ogunyale Sola, who was the driver of the abandoned Serena. We have handed them over to the Agro Department of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for detailed investigation.

“We recovered two cows, which we have returned to the Fulani man that owns them, and we brought the vehicle to our office here because the rustlers ran away and abandoned the vehicle. But we were able to arrest those involved and they had confessed that they had been in the trade for some time.” he said.,

Adeleye further said that since Amotekun began operation in the state, over 100 suspects had been arrested by men of the security agency.