Farmers/Herders Clashes: Amotekun Sets Up Six Control Points in Ondo Forests

Fidelis David in Akure

Amid herders/farmers clashes in the Northern senatorial district of Ondo State, the state Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has directed the State Security Network Agency, Amotekun Corps, to establish additional six control points within the state forests to counter the activities of criminals terrorising residents.

The state Commander of Amotekun, Adetunji Adeleye, who disclosed this while parading nine suspects arrested for various alleged offences at the headquarters of the corps in Akure explained that the establishment of the specialised unit within the Amotekun Corps called ‘Amot Rangers’ will rid the coastal state of criminal elements.

Precisely, Adeleye said these rangers would operate from six newly established control points within the state’s forests which will cover areas along the borders with Edo, Kogi, Kwara, and Ekiti States and will live in the forests to control the excesses of miscreants causing trouble in the state.

He said: “We are carrying out the directives of the governor pursuant to the Ondo State Livestock and Grazing Regulations and Establishment of Ranch Law 2021, as amended, which mandates the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun Corps to oversee and enforce peaceful relationship between the farmers and headers and inhabitants of the forests.

“In view of the governor’s directives, we are establishing immediately six major control points for a special unit of the Amotekun Corps that is coded ‘Amot Rangers’. The ‘Amot Rangers’ will live in the forests to control the excesses of these miscreants causing trouble in Ondo State.

“These six control points cut across the troubled borders around Edo, Kogi, Kwara, and Ekiti States. In the last 72 hours, men of the Ondo State Security Network had combed every nook and cranny of the four Local government Areas in Akoko, and we’ve been able to flush out the miscreants.

“As a matter of fact, they even ran away before our men got there. This is to tell them that Ondo State is not a place for terrorists and people with bad intention to stay. No matter how deep into the forestry area, we remain resolute to ensuring the safety of lives and property in such area.

“Hence, the governor has graciously approved that two of the existing control posts in the forest be further reinforced while additional four, making a total of six, will be put in place. These are to be manned by specially trained Amotekun Rangers whose sole responsibility is to ensure that the nefarious activities of these miscreants are checkmated.”

Besides, the Amotekun commander said the decline in the number of suspects paraded can be grossly attributed to the 24-hour patrol of men of the Ondo State Security Network Agency.

“A syndicate that specialises across the state in killing the Okada riders and making away with their bikes include those being paraded today. We equally have two of them who attempted to kill the security men put in charge of a petroleum product. We have on display the guns which they used before the long arm of law caught up with them.

On a specific note, he said James Amos and Moses Ponsak aged 30 and 21 respectively, were arrested on charges of robbery, attempted murder, and theft of diesel while Boboye Matthew, 18, and Boboye Lekan (siblings) specialise in stealing, dismantling, and selling of Okada bikes.

Similarly, he said Rabiu Mogaji, Daouda Alassin, and Godwin Isaac, were picked from different locations for stealing generators and phones whenever the owners were not available.

He said: “We equally have what we recovered from them on display. Azubuike Okafor Patti was arrested  in the act of breaking into houses when the owners had gone to work. Isiaka Audu was arrested for stealing of motorcycles and tubers of yams. In all, today, I’m parading these nine suspects to send warning to thieves, kidnappers, and murderers, that Ondo State is not a place for them to stay.

“Under law and order, we’ve been able to stabilize the enforcement of laws and order of the state to such an extent that there is stability. The anti-grazing and farmer-herdsmen relationship, we have a number of issues regarding the enforcement of the anti-open grazing law but we are putting measures in place to checkmate the excesses.

“Our ultimate goal is that farmers should be able to farm without fear while herders do their businesses without infringing on the rights of the farmers. On labour union matters, I want to deeply on behalf of the government of Ondo State appreciate that even despite the pressures of the protests in the beginning of the month, our people recognised the fact to allow dialogue to take the centre stage.

“On student affairs, there has been no issues among the student union as they equally saw reason with us that peaceful resolution of crisis is better.

“On land and chieftaincy issues, areas of disputes are being taken into consideration and the government of Ondo State, especially the ministry of local government, is taking proactive actions to ensure that lives and property are maintained while the tradition of our people are not underplayed.”