Federal and Oyo State governments have been called upon to beef up security in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State by equipping security agencies more and enforcing anti-open grazing law promulgated in 2020.
The call was contained in a communique issued by Oke Ogun Council of Elders (OCE) and signed by its spokesman, Jare Ajayi, after its mid-year meeting held in Ibadan, under the chairmanship of its President and former Minister of State for Agriculture and Water Resources, Bamidele Dada.
Present at the meeting include S. A. Oyedemi, Layi Egunjobi, Doja Oladele, Tunde Adigun, Funke Ladigbolu, Amusa Adebisi, A. Shittu, Wole Oladokun, Isaac Funmpe Ojeyemi, Bayo Toluwalase, I. Taiwo, Solomon Ige, I. E. Bolaji and David Aremu.
They stated that in addition to herders/farmers’ clashes that are still occurring, influx of Fulanis from outside Nigeria has increased insecurity problem in the area as being manifested in kidnapping, raping, and armed robbery cases.
The Oke-Ogun elders then called on the government and security agencies to be firmer and fairer, decrying the situation in which when farmers and herders have clashes, security agencies, especially the Police, tend to side with the herders - “even when the farmer is the victim.
The communique read in part, "Instances abound in which when, for instance, a cow ate tubers or grains sprayed with chemicals in a farm and something happened to the cattle, the farmer would be forced to pay for the dead cow even when it was the cattle that came to the farm. In this respect, security agencies, especially the Police, are called upon to ensure fairness and justice in their handling of farmers/herders’ clashes.”
The elders urged Oyo State government to without further delay commence the enforcement of the anti-open grazing law enacted in November, 2019.
While noting with concern the strike action embarked upon by members of the Vigilante Group established by various local government councils in Oke Ogun as a result of imprecise remuneration and poor welfare, the elders called on the governments concerned to as a matter of urgency, respond positively to the demands of the striking security personnel as their service is very critical.
The Oke-Ogun Elders further appealed to the government to take positive actions on the mining activities going on in the area with a view to ensuring that the local people benefit - unlike the present situation in which outsiders, including non-Nigerians, derive greater benefits through the illegal mining activities going on there.
Besides, calling on the Federal Government to complete work on long-abandoned Ikere Gorge Dam, the elders also urged the government to set up an Oke-Ogun Development Commission to redress the age-long marginalization of the area.