They all had one thing in common a tale of woe in the hands of rogue herdsmen that invaded their community leaving behind gory accounts of rape, maiming, loss of crops and killings. A cross-section of victims in Ondo state who spoke to New National Star was unanimous in their support to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on how to halt the vicious invasion.
Interview with Alhaji Zakaria
We are doing a story on the governor’s decision to send unregistered Fulani herdsmen out of Ondo state forest, we want to find out whether the decision is coming too late or is appropriate, in order?
The decision is a well-welcomed development to the people of Ondo State, it is even late we have been expecting the government to take the decision since earlier than this but it is better late than never. so we support the decision of the government.
Somebody told us that you were once a victim, so how did it happen? When did it happen?
yes, it happened in 2018 on October 2nd at ajowa-akoko north-west. I was coming back from the mosque around 7.30pm on that day when I was stopped and taken into the bush. They were five in number and they have all been arrested and are awaiting trial. I was there for four days. I was released on October 6th. My people agreed to pay a ransom when divine intervention came. I was with them when they all slept so when I discovered that they were asleep, I escaped. I went hiding in another bush, when it was morning, I started hearing voices some timber contractors, I hear their machines.
I saw farmers and I explained my situation to them, they were afraid initially because my white garment had turned black just like a mad man so I begged them not to be afraid and asked to be taken to the nearest police station or palace. Immediately I asked if any of them has a phone so as I could make calls, a phone was provided for me and I called my wife telling her that I have escaped. I was taken down to Ajewa.
so is the governor’s position in order?
Yes, it is in order Someone said that with the rate of killings and abductions, paying ransom if the governor does not take this position, residents may be forced to resort to self-help is this true? We were already planning and arranging ourselves for it before the governor made this order. If the Fulani men are removed from the forest, I believe the security in the state will be okay as there are the only one terrorising Ondo state.
Interview with Chief Sehinde Arogbofa
Why too late? Well, it is better late than never if he is now taking a purposeful decision, it is not too late because it is not like he has been folding his arms that is not correct, for example the series of killings and kidnappings of these people you have mentioned are enormous and we know what roles he played in trying to make sure that discipline and order is put in place.
He has done his best and still doing his best to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book. To say that it is coming too late, I don’t think it’s true unless there are other reasons to say that it is coming late. someone said that with the rate of killings and abductions, paying the ransom if the governor does not take this position, residents may be forced to resort to self-help is this true? Well, people did not resort to self-help when a traditional first-class oba was brutally killed is it now that they are going to resort to self-help? What happened then was a sacrilege. The people of ondo state are law-abiding but if pushed to the wall, then they can react. In the old western region, the fear of ondo people was the beginning of wisdom.
Interview with Chief Mrs. Oladunni
We are writing a story on the decision of the governor to send out of the forest unregistered Fulani herdsmen who are not registered. As an opinion leader in Ondo State, what is your reaction to this? We don’t use power to collect land from the landowner. I always read The Punch and some people are speaking sensibly. What I observed is that the Fulani has assumed that they own Nigeria which isn’t so. Our governors are the ones that put us in this trouble. Why will you give the Fulani forest reserve? It is because I do not have numbers of radio stations if not I would have weighed in on these issues when discussed on the radio. I follow the news closely. Look at Garba Shehu talking as if they own Nigeria from Maiduguri to the ocean. They don’t own Nigeria. Why should they occupy the forest reserve? You cannot thrust yourself on a group of people, if they don’t want you, you should leave there. They don’t use power to buy land. Can we try what they are doing here in Kano or Nasarawa? That they could just come here and kill the king. So many people don’t follow the news. I read today in the paper how a herdsman kidnapped someone’s father. These herdsmen are the kidnappers, so the governor is right to have them removed. They don’t own the land. If you rent a house and the landlord doesn’t want you there any more you have the right to leave, you must go. How many people can go to Kano, Katsina or Borno and kill their king over there? But they come here and do whatever they please. They are treading a dangerous path. If our people came together and do what they ought to do, is it that they are not powerful? Our kings and elders don’t they have power? If they come together and (lo abe fun wo) they would leave here by themselves. If Gani Adams, came to mobilise the elders in Akoko, they are the ones that would leave themselves. A lot of cows were killed at that time. Farmers can no longer farm because the herdsmen have taken over the entire forest. I don’t support them, I want to lend my voice to the discussions on the radio. Makinde is very stupid. We have to support the state. How is he saying they should not send them away when these people have taken over the forest in Oyo State. In Osun, they are killing people. Buhari is not saying anything. I just wish we could select two women each from every local government and we assemble and lend our voice. A woman is the one that saw the end of Abacha and put Babangida in power. We support that they send them away.
Interview with Mr. Alhamam
We are working on a story, the Ondo State governor some days ago ordered these herdsmen that are not registered with the state to leave the forest because of insecurity. We have been talking to some Ondo State residents and your name came up. At a time you actually assisted some of your people to get out of the captivity of kidnappers. We want to find out what actually happened then when was it? Which year?
Sometimes in September 2018.
How many people were kidnapped then?
They were five in number
Which part of Ondo State?
Akoko area. Oba axis.
They were there for how many days?
They were there for two days two nights.
So they now contacted the family and demanded for ransom or..?
They contacted me directly because we left a political meeting which we held at Ikare. They were going back to Akure when they were kidnapped. They were kidnapped on a Wednesday, around two-twenty-something on Thursday I received a call from them. They demanded a ransom of 20 million. They did not allow us to negotiate. They negotiated with those they abducted. Eventually, I took 15 million to the bush myself.
Were you not afraid that they would harm you?
I have been speaking with them. They gave me their word that I am safe provided what they asked for is what I brought to them. So there was no point of my being afraid because we wanted the release of our people.
Where exactly did you take the money to?
I took it to the bush. The point at which they abducted. When they were directing me they said I should move to Owo first, when I got to Owo, they said I should stay in a place. I understood that we were being monitored. They have eyes in every area as at that time. Whenever I got to a point, they would say where are you and I would say I was at this spot and they will say you are correct. They would ask questions and when I answered they would confirm what I said. So until I got to the bush. I got to the bush by 6:45pm. They took the money and held me there till around 5.00am.
Wow. What were they doing?
They couldn’t allow me to go without counting the money and confirm that there wasn’t any sign on it because there were seven that came to meet us where they were asked to stop. They positioned two of their men to keep watch on us while the remaining five went away with the money. When it was around 18 minutes to 4.00am, those two left hoping that they had gone to bring my people to us, not knowing they have released them around 10.00pm but I spent the whole night in the bush.
So they counted the money and discovered it was correct?
Yes, I want to believe that is what they went to do. So they discovered it is when it was correct that they signalled their men to leave us.
How many of you took the money to the bush?
Myself and the driver that was kidnapped. He drove the car, but I was the one that was transacting with them all through.
Was it in the forest or just a small bush?
In the forest, in the reserve area
From your interactions with those people, where are they from? Precisely that is what I cannot say but their intonation resembles a Fulani’s own. But I want to believe that there are insiders among us. Those who I spoke with and interacted with are Fulani.
The state government position that they should leave the forest, do you think it is coming too late or it is appropriate at this time?
It is long overdue. But we want to believe that it is better late than never, the step taken by the governor we all believe is the right decision. Because we own the land, we are not sending them away from our land but we are sending them out of the forest. They can come and live with us and around us so we can be seeing ourselves but let them leave this place so that they can stop causing havoc on our people. It is uncalled for, we don’t want it again.
Those two victims, what are their names?
There were five of them. We have Pastor Olajide Igbinsaba who was then the senatorial candidate for ADC for the 2019 elections.
If the governor had not taken this position do you think Ondo State people who have been pushed to the wall can result to self-help?
That is why I said the decision is coming at a time that is going to avert a lot of … Like what you have just asked there is no way people will not revert to self-defense. If not for the step the governor has taken as the establishment of this Amotekun of a thing, so many things would have gone wrong, people would have resulted to self-help which might not have been in the best interest of the government.
Mr Kehinde Ojuolape
I want you to comment on the Ondo State’s governor position asking the herdsmen without a permit to leave the forest. Do you think his position is justified?
It is highly justified.
Why?
Very good. I had a very terrible experience sometime in October last year.
What happened?
I have 17-hectare farmland of cassava and maize. These Fulani people invaded the place. Incidentally, I got the Amotekun people involved. The herdsmen were caught and arrested and I left a complaint with the police too and I wrote the state governor. I have pictures of the animal (inaudible) and the pictures of those that were caught. They are with the animals. Up till now, because of the scan I got (inaudible) from (inaudible) to do the scanning, up to now, there has been nothing. Incidentally, when I thought they will return to the issue. Because the Fulani people said I should try and see their landlord, Olu Ajilo, a popular figure. I thought the man would intervene and sort the problem out. A farm I spent close to 1.6 million naira on, he said I should collect 30,000 naira for settlement.
What is the value of what they destroyed?
As at that time with the level, the cassava farm and the maize, has gotten to, it is over two million. I wrote a letter to the state governor to assist, though he has not responded.
Interview with Comrade Amuda Abiola
National Secretary, Akoko Consultative Forum Akoko leading apex socio-cultural organization, Akoko Consultative Forum (ACF) condemn in strong term the incessant activities of armed bandits that carry out acts of kidnapping, rapping and other forms of a criminal act capable of causing ethnic warfare in the country. Almost all the 42 towns and villages in Akoko land are in terrible security challenges. The organization is solidly behind the bold and courageous decision of Governor Akeredolu as regards the popular decision he had taken.
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