The Ondo State Security Agency, Amotekun Corps, has arrested two underaged herders as well as their 52-year-old father, Ibrahim Musa, and seized 49 cows, for violating the open grazing law of the state government.
The state Commandant of the corps, Chief Adetunji Adeleye, said his men got a distress call from a female farmer at Kajola community in the Akure South Local Government Area of the state.
He alleged that the twin boys, Audu Ibrahim and Musa Ibrahim, said to be six-year-olds, threatened one Mrs. Victoria Ajayi, 70, with a cutlass in her home.
Narrating her experience, the septuagenarian said she was in her house when her grandson living with her called that cows have invaded their farm.
“That evening, I was resting after taking my drugs because I was under medication for hypertension. My little boy called and said there were cows in our farm. I saw a man standing afar, while the two little boys were with the cows,” she said.
“I asked them to call on their father as they gave deaf ears to my words and looked at me angrily. As I was trying to make the children understand they should take the cows out of my farm, one of them brought out a cutlass and pointed it to my face. Then I knew I was in for big trouble
“I quickly called my little grandson and went inside and shut my door. They were there for hours as I watch the cows ate my vegetables, pepper and also watched how they dug my heaps of yams with their legs and eat my long-awaited ready-to-be harvested yams
“I quickly reached for my drugs because I have been managing high blood pressure for some time. I quickly took my boy and went out through the back door where they could not see me because I never knew their next move as we are alone in the house
“The thought of renting another house occurred to me immediately, because of the frequent herdsmen invasion with cows to my house. But this time, they almost got aggressive as I can’t predict their next move
“I quickly left the house through the back door, dropped my boy with a neighbour, and took an Okada to Amotekun’s office for help. I’m so glad that immediately I narrated my ordeal, they followed me to my house and got them arrested.”
Also speaking, Ibrahim Musa denied being on the farm with his children and regretted the action, saying it was a mistake on his part.
“This is really a mistake for me. I have been living in Akure for over 30 years without having trouble with anyone. I was not around when the incident occurred. It was my little boys that were undergoing training on how to become herders that misbehaved. I was at Sabo area in Akure when it all happened. The younger one goes out with the senior while on training.” he said.
Confirming the arrest, the State Corps Commander of Amotekun, Mr. Adetunji Adeleye, said they got a distress call from a woman that her farm has been destroyed by herders and that her life was under threat
“Our response team moved immediately and we met the cows actually ravaging the farmland. We also met two under-aged shepherds as this is clearly against the law put in place by the state government,” Adeleye stated.
“You would recall that the Ondo State Government banned under-aged grazing and wanton destruction of food crops. This is the reason we got them arrested knowing full well that their father will show up,” he added.
According to the corps, the children would be charged to juvenile court to face the law.
