Ogun State Monarchs Allege Army Connivance In Herdsmen Attack On Community |The Source

By Akinwale Kasali

Monarchs in Yewa Area of Ogun State have alleged that some soldiers of the Nigerian Army are supporting and conniving with armed herdsmen operating in Yewa Local Government area of Ogun State in attacking farmers and people in the said Community.

In a petition written by the traditional rulers to the Brigade Commander, 35 Artillery Brigade, Nigerian Army, Alamala, Abeokuta, Ogun State, the Monarchs  complained that the Army is giving support to the armed herdsmen in communities located in Yewa and  Ketu area of State.

The Obas in the petition to the Nigerian Army  alleged connivance of the Army to intimidate and harass indigenous peoples in the area.

Those who signed the petition were Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, Oniggua of Iggualand, Oba Michael Dosumu, the Eselu of Iseluland and the Alademeso of Igan Alade, Oba Gabriel Olalowo.

The Obas claimed that during the visit of soldiers to the community, the leaders raised questions.  One of the community leaders, Seye Mulero, summarized the trauma of the community, calling the Army to checkmate soldiers’ activities in the communities.

Mulero also mentioned cases of killings in the community by herdsmen, in which the Soldiers felt indicted, pouncing on him, beating him to a pulp, the Obas said.

“Seye Mulero further cited past killings, maiming and destruction of farms to buttress his point. Sadly, at this point, the soldiers seized him and mercilessly beat him up.

“In the same manner, the Fulani herders in company of the suspected soldiers left Ibeku for Asa, the adjoining village to address the Baale of Asa and his subjects as they had earlier done at Ibeku, the people refused to respond, having heard what transpired at Ibeku.

“However, one of the Fulani herders sighted some people in the audience and picked on them as those that purportedly shouted on them at Ibeku while brutalising their victim (Seye Mulero). The herders asked the soldiers to also deal with them.”

The Obas alleged that at a meeting with the State Police Commissioner, Edward Ajogun,held on January 03, 2021, the herdsmen confirmed that they invited the soldiers  who were said to have provided security for them while the herders grazed their cattle on farms of the indigenous peoples destroying valuable cash crops.

Another report accused the villagers of killing some four Fulani herdsmen after which their bodies disappeared.

The Army has, however, distanced itself from the allegation, saying that it was wrong to say the Nigerian Army was supporting the herdsmen adding that the action of  few soldiers should not be confused with an institution like the Nigerian Army.