The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun State Command, has warned that herders should keep off farms so as to avoid the destruction of farm produce which is the cause of the farmer-herder crisis.
This warning was given by the Osun NSCDC Commandant, Emmanuel Ocheja, in Osogbo, the state capital, during a one-day workshop in preparation for the 2022 International Civil Defence Day.
Represented by the Head of Agro Rangers Unit of the Command, Deputy Commandant of Corps, Yaqeen Yekini, Ocheja advised that all stakeholders in the agro-allied sector should embrace the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms to resolve issues rather than resort to confrontations and aggressive combat.
Delivering a lecture on the theme, “Civil Defence and Management of Displaced in the Face of Disaster and Crisis; Role of Volunteers and the Fight Against Pandemics,” Ocheja assured that the Corps was committed to the protection of the agro-allied industry and is ready to confront other security challenges that may negatively impinge food production and security in the state.
The Osun NSCDC boss noted that the Federal Government is poised to ensure that everybody who is engaged in agriculture has a peaceful atmosphere to go about their occupation without any fear of intimidation or harassment.
In his words, “The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps is ready to cooperate with both farmers and herders to achieve a peaceful co-existence in Osun state.
“We advise all parties to embrace the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms to resolve issues when such arises rather than resort to confrontations and aggressive combat.
“As such, we are warning herders to keep off from farm as the destruction of farm produce is the major issue between farmers and herders.”
Ocheja also reiterated the readiness of the NSCDC to cooperate with the Fulani-Bororo community in the state to achieve a peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in Osun State.
In his remark, the Chairman of Ayedire local government, Adigun Adejare, while pledging his unalloyed support to the Corps and all other security agencies, urged both farmers and herders to continue to live in peace so that an end can be sought to the incessant farmers and herdsmen clashes in the state.
A representative of the Fulani Bororo in the state, Alhaji Seidu Adamu, while appreciating the NSCDC for putting up the programme, promised that herdsmen will continue to explore every avenue to engender peace and harmony.
There have been minimal incidents of farmer-herder clashes in Osun State in the recent past and this has been due to the commitment of the state government to pursue peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders.
In 2021, the state recorded scattered incidents of herdsmen attacks in Wasinmi village in Irewole local government where local herdsmen, his wife and grandchildren were murdered by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
Also, there were isolated cases of herdsmen attack on commuters plying the Osogbo-Obokun highway which resulted in the death of the driver of a commercial bus in 2021.
With the advent of the Osun Security Network Agency aka Amotekun and the cooperation between sister security agencies, the incidents of herdsmen attacks have reduced in the state. Continue Reading
